Rebel Agent
by HerondaleSalvatoreGirl22
Summary: S.H.I.E.L.D Hayley Collins is part of it. But not everything is what it looks like. She hates this organization. She can't stand S.H.I.E.L.D. She doesn't like their rules. And she has earned quit a reputation, one that leads her to be under Phillip Coulson's radar, besides of one mysterious card under her sleeve. Is she fit for Agent Coulson's select team of Agents?
1. Prologue

**_London, England - Unknown Motel - 09:34 p.m_**

A young blonde woman walked through the lobby of a motel after giving a turn from the elevator behind her. Her grey eyes flickering around in calm cautiousness as she walked forward, her red glossed lips forming a smirk as she gazed behind her.

Her gloved hands held a silver purse matching her knee length dress as she walked, her blonde hair in buckles reaching her shoulders.

She held her head high as she turned to the front doors, the ding of the elevator making her look smug as she remembered the unconscious man she had left upon almost being caught. Once she pushed the doors open, the cold breeze of the night cause a small shiver pass through her skin.

After making sure the street was empty with a quick look around, she reached to her purse rummaging through it pulling a small device and a small flip phone hitting some keys on it before raising the device to her ear, while holding a small USB with her other hand

"Evening madam" An Englishman walked passed by the blonde, tipping his hat off slightly aside and her lips curled up in a small charming smile

"Evening" she returned the greeting, her British accent smooth. The man smiled and continued walking as the phone in her ear for answered, she gave no time for a greeting "I have it" her British accent no more, revealing a perfect American one.

The other line didn't answer after a couple of minutes which she used patiently to examine the USB, twirling it on her fingers with a smirk, her high heels clicking against the concrete while keeping a look around making sure no one was following her. You could never be too sure

 _"No complications, I assume?"_ A male voice sounded making her pause her movements for half a second with a small huff.

"What do you think?" She asked him cockily, the male voice in the other side of the line snorted in amusement making her chuckle as she took a turn in a street

" _No alarms, no grunts, quietly I presume?"_ He asked again, the blonde sighed

"In and out, as always" She replied rolling her eyes entering to a dark alley, making her way to a black SVU, "I don't get why they still don't fully trust me" she said with a sigh reaching the car and pulling the door open

"Anyway, part one is done. Now, I have to get to the house and download the second part of the data. Because they had to be paranoid, right?" She complained siting on the passenger seat, smiling sarcastically at nothing as she took the heels from her feet, holding the phone with her cheek and shoulder "People really likes messing with SHIELD" a bitter chuckle passed through her lips as she started putting on a pair of black boots.

The male on the phone breathed a sigh " _That attitude is part of the reason they don't fully trust you, honey"_

The blonde chuckled while zipping the blue dress out of her, revealing a dark tank top and black leather shorts. "Well, I am allowed to have an attitude. I mean, wouldn't you if you were thrown into a place against your will? That is bound to make hateful feelings to blossom" she pointed out placing the phone next to her after pressing the speaker button. She then grabbed a long sleeved black shirt starting to put it on her

" _Yes, I know, but you're not cooperating after everything"_

She looked up annoyed as she buttoned up the shirt

"I am cooperating am I not? I'm doing their stupid job" she complained as she grabbed a tissue and some water, she poured water in the tissue and cleaned the lipstick from her mouth

" _Yes, but you are doing it bitterly and they don't like that_ " he reminded her, she paused her movements and a sigh passed through her lips

"I don't care. They should be grateful I'm doing this. I have the means to go out of their radar. You're all lucky I don't want to go into hiding and watch my back everywhere I go" she said before pulling a sarcastic expression "So, here you have me... Dealing with the knowledge I am not liked on this stupid organization and that I have my people on my ass for it" she paused, making a face "Well, literally"

She grabbed a handful of her blonde hair, tugging down making a wave of brown hair fall down to her shoulders, dropping the blonde wig " _Yeah, you may be right. But you have to understand that..."_

"No buts. I made a deal. I do their damn job but I do it with whatever the hell attitude I feel like it, alright?" She snapped interrupting him putting her hair up in a ponytail getting out of the car, grabbing the phone once her hair was tied up and the USB on one of the pockets of her shirt and starting to walk away on the darkness towards another direction

" _Okay, if you want it that way"_ the man sighed, " _Hamerson's house it's guarded against hackers so I can't help with that-"_ she laughed quietly, interrupting him. The man scoffed " _What's funny, Collins?"_ He asked impatiently, not liking having been interrupted for the third time

The former blonde, now brunette shook her head spotting a mansion ahead of her.

"Nothing, Jens" Collins waved a hand, tilting her head aside.

" _Hayley_ " Jens warned her as she reached the gates, frowning once she realized everything was quiet. Too quiet, she may add.

Something was off

"It's empty" Hayley Collins pointed out, crossing her arms looking around her. Hayley narrowed her eyes "What did you do, Max?" She growled slowly as she started climbing the gates.

Max Jens gulped hearing the dangerous voice of his colleague, starting to type on his computer. He had been busy scolding her to realize someone from the hotel she had been at had tipped them off, that SHIELD was on their way.

How could he be that _stupid_?

He put the other Agent's life in danger having not paid attention to the communications he was supposed to keep an eye on

" _I'm sorry, Hay"_ Max said frantically looking at every screen around her as Hayley jumped over the gates making her way to the secured door. She stopped starting to type a password on the keyboard scan

"Max, help me out" She said through gritted teeth as she furiously tried to several passwords, including Hamerson's birthday each one of them beeping negatively.

 **Access Denied**

Collins rolled her eyes about to raise her hand when her co-worker called to her to wait a second as he had the password. She paused giving a look behind her when the security beeped with a green light

 **Access granted**

Hayley grinned pushing the doors open "Good. You're lucky I'm not a snitch" she commented over her comm as she ran to the nearest computer pulling out the USB and connecting it to the computer starting to download every data from the illegal information Hamerson had gathered over three years, information SHIELD needed to take care of so it didn't fall to the wrongs hands.

She typed as fast as she could keeping an eye on her wrist watch. She smirked seeing the data starting to download, making her sigh in slight relief as static reached over her comm, making her roll her eyes in annoyance knowing it could be one of her superiors.

Hayley looked up hearing footsteps and ducked as a security guard spotted her, pulling out his gun and shooting at her.

"Collins" Hayley greeted once she landed in a crouch after having rolled down out of the way of the gun

" _I need you here, Collins. Now"_ The demanding voice of Maria Hill rang in her ears as she stood up lunging to the guard and punching his face. He raised a hand, about to punch her but she gripped his wrist twisting it behind his back and kicking his back throwing him to the floor. She huffed loudly

"I'm a little busy" she replied kneeling in front of him, getting slightly startled as he grabbed her hands and pulled her to the floor, making her groan "Can't you, I don't know. Wait, Maria?" She asked flipping him to his back and rolling on the floor pausing her movements as she heard helicopters outside, making both of them turn to the windows wincing at the bright light coming clearly from SHIELD's helicopter.

" _No, I can't"_ Hill said impatiently hearing the agent fighting on the other line

Hayley sighed in annoyance which allowed her distraction for the guard to grab her shoulder flipping her over his shoulder to the floor groaning as she hit the ground with a thud.

The guard grabbed his baton and tried hitting her with it only for Hayley to grab it midair while still on the floor tugging it down and using the momentum to stand up without letting the baton go and kicked him with one of her legs tugging the baton towards her making the guard fall backwards.

Hayley threw the baton away from the guard as he stood up and lunged towards her making her duck and spin around him, brushing strands of hair out of her face as the guard turned around stalking close trying to punch her.

Collins caught his arm, punching him in the face, then the gut, making him fall.

They both breathed heavily. She stayed in her fighting stance, while the guard stayed in the floor groaning in pain. She shook her head, making her wild hair to not hit her face as she made her way to the computer seeing it didn't take long before she was over or more guards to arrive

"Here, I'm almost done, Maria..." Agent Hill cut her off sighing

" _It's an order, Agent Collins"_ Hayley rolled her eyes looking up seeing agents starting to climb down from the helicopter and some others making their way to the mansion while fighting off the security guards " _Another agent will finish what you started. Now, get out of there. There are two agents waiting for you outside"_

Hayley frowned, placing her hand on her hip defiantly, tilting her head aside glaring at the black SVU with SHIELD's eagle symbol from the window

" _Now, Agent"_ Agent Hill ordered sternly once she got no response and heard no movement. Hayley huffed dropping her hand and calmly starting to walk to the front door seeing unconscious bodies on the ground making her raise an eyebrow before rolling her eyes heading to the SVU


	2. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I normally dont put Authors note cause ... cause I don't like it but I make exceptions once in a while. Just to inform you all this story will follow the show. Only adding my OC Hayley Collins. Everything you see and don't recognize are my own changes. I don't own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D it would be cool if I did. :)**_

 ** _With that, I add that I only own Hayley Collins and her storyline as well as if you see Amy other character not shown in the show._**

 ** _Thank you for reading and I hope you like it :)_**

* * *

 ** _New York - SHIELD's headquarters - 1403 hours_**

Hayley glanced over the window as they reached a building, she had been quiet all the fly back to America, thing the Agents escorting her didn't mind as she thought them to be boring. She didn't even spared them a glance.

Once the car stopped, Hayley didn't bother to say goodbye as she climbed down smoothing her cardigan walking towards the building. Her dark clothes had been replaced for jeans and a red sleeveless shirt, a scar and her cardigan.

It was her way to mock SHIELD on their clothing style.

As soon as walked inside, she made a face at the robot looking agents pacing from one room to another. She stalked forward, purposely marking each step she made as if she were angry. Which she wasn't, only annoyed by being pulled out of her mission, mission she wasn't fine with it in the first place

Like she had told Max Jens the night before, she wasn't on SHIELD willingly. She had been given an ultimatum. _Work for us or rot in the Fridge._

The Fridge being a type of prison/Jail where SHIELD stored dangerous people or objects. According to SHIELD, she fit into the dangerous people category so it was safe to say which option Hayley chose.

No one wants to rot in a prison cell, _right?_

But that didn't stop her from acting the way she did. She wasn't kidding when she told Jens that she had made a deal. She had told when given the choice that if she accepted, she could react or feel the way she wanted to.

As she reached the elevator, she didn't bother on showing her ID as pretty much everyone now knew the woman. _'The Angry SHIELD agent who isn't willing working with them. An agent with authoritative issues'_

As soon as she climbed the elevator, she pushed a bottom which allowed the doors closing and raising her up to the floor Agent Hills was waiting. She needed to know why she was pulled out of her mission without finishing it. It was enough being trusted into one in the first place when she didn't want to and then been pulled out of it.

The elevator electronic voice pulled her out of her thoughts as it made its way up. She liked those elevators. They were made of glass and she could see New York from up there. She looked back to the front when an hologram appeared in front of her, making her sigh in annoyance as the elevator stopped moving.

She looked up at the camera, allowing the thing to scan her face and give her access to continue moving or she would have stayed trapped.

" _Agent Hayley Collins, level 7, Access granted_ " Along the electronic elevator voice, her SHIELD badge appeared in front of her, showing her basic information

 _ **COLLINS HAYLEY**_

 _ **Tittle**_

 _ **SPECIALIST**_

 _ **Sex Hair Height**_

 _ **F BRN 5-02**_

With that, also the expiration date and her card serial number.

Hayley sighed impatiently rolling her eyes at the music she was sure Agent Fury had installed and was relieved of it when the doors opened. She walked out of the elevator as soon as they did, not wanting to be listening to that music another minute

Hayley seemed to know where she was going as she reached a glassed room where she saw the back of Agent Hill and another Agent. Analyzing his posture she could he as well was a specialist used to danger. Not the same specialist as her but she could tell the cockiness from miles away.

Next to them was another Agent, this one differently to the others was wearing a grey suit making a small smile to play on her lips. Her eyes flickering to the big screen in front of her as she made her way inside.

In the screen she saw an obviously gifted man saving a woman from a fire. Her eyebrows knitted together seeing every Agent with their undivided attention to him, making her press her lips together in a thin line.

She knew the tactic of SHIELD in that case. _Find him_. Befriend him or _threaten_ him or even arrest him. She wasn't sure as SHIELD could be unpredictable sometimes. But one thing was sure...

Once SHIELD had their eyes on you, gifted of not. There's no way you can hide from them.

Hayley Collins, herself being an example of that.

Hayley crossed her arms walking to stand behind Agent Hill, speaking as loudly she could, making sure to add annoyance in her words "Can you tell me why the hell did you pull me out from my mission?"

Her loud and calm voice startled some agents watching the screens and looked behind them to find said rebel Agent looking at their superior with her hand in her hip, tilting her head aside.

Agent Hill turned around, unfazed by the Agent's snapping. Hayley seemed impatient and angry as she raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Agent Collins, welcome back" Hill greeted calmly with a curt nod of her head.

The brunette agent scoffed rolling her grey eyes. The other Agent watching with furrowed eyebrows

"Don't give me that crap, Maria, I want answers" Agent Collins demanded, making Agent Hill chuckled a bit

"Why don't you let him explain you?" Agent Hill answered her gesturing at the gray suited agent next to her, who hadn't yet to turn around to face the young Agent.

The old man had a small smile playing on his lips as he turned around stepping forward to Hayley.

"Hello, Hayley" He greeted, making her uncross her arms in slight surprise. She was so used to everyone calling her by her surname by now she still couldn't get used to someone calling her name like this Agent

"Philip" Hayley smiled waving at him, smiling lightly.

Agent Hill looked between them with a sigh, turning to Agent Collins

"Agent Collins, the reason you were taken out of your mission was because Agent Coulson has requisitioned a mobile command unit, to which you and Agent Ward are assigned" Hill explained, nodding her head at the agent next to her.

Said agent scoffed in annoyance and Hayley smirked at him in amusement

"We already explained to him what we need" Agent Coulson told her quietly, looking at the big screen where Hayley could now tell that the recording from the gifted man was coming from _The Rising Tide_ , a hackers' group

Agent Coulson knew Hayley pretty well and knew what reaction would be with the situation. That's why he needed her

Hayley narrowed her eyes at them

"You want him, don't you?" It wasn't a question, but still Coulson nodded with a hopeful smile glancing at the brunette. He knew was taking a chance by asking that, she knew how she reacted towards cases where gifted people were concerned and he needed that reaction.

Hayley shifted her weight to another leg, conflicted. She didn't know what do...

Well, by now she knew she had no choice in the matter if Agent Hill was commanding it. But Coulson was asking...

At difference of other agents, she liked Agent Coulson. He was the one putting her out of a sticky direction but in the moment, putting her on SHIELD's radar. But he hadn't been threatening about it. He never forced her to make a choice or treated her like a criminal deserving going to the Fridge. She hated S.H.I.E.L.D, that was for sure but she didn't hate Coulson, who had helped her become the agent she was now...

So, what to choose?


	3. Chapter 2

_**"Pilot"**_

 _ **New York - SHIELD's Headquarters - 1420 hours**_

Hayley stared at the ground while thinking on Agent Coulson's offer as he was now trying to convince Agent Ward as well.

Coulson knew to not push her on her decision as he knew she wouldn't be able to say no. _He knew her._

It wasn't too long after Coulson tried to convince him when a man wearing a lab coat entered the room looking at Coulson

"Team's approved. Physicals are all fine. Fitz-Simmons is not cleared for combat" Dr. Streiten told him, Hayley looked up curious "I'm told that won't be an issue. Agent Ward here... he's almost too fit. Including Agent Collins, who is also approved"

Hayley smiled, slightly proud of herself almost convinced to say yes to her S.O.

"That's an issue. That should be an issue" Ward said pointing to Dr. Streiten "Maybe I can't join the team .. Because my .." Ward stuttered trying to find a excuse only to be silenced by Agent Hill, who was reading the files the doctor brought from Coulson's team, without looking

"God, you are dismissed"

Agent Collins smiled an amused smile as Agent Ward left the room, a silence falling to their rest of the agent's until Hill spoke again

"It was a porcupine. It was not a poop" Hill said, making both Coulson and Hayley to glance over her shoulder at the image on Ward's papers, which clearly seemed like poop. "It just means that he..."

"No, I'm pretty sure" Coulson said with a nod. Hayley shrugged in agreement.

Agent Hill sighed shaking her head, looking up "And it's not just Ward. Your whole roster is sketchy" she added, glancing at Hayley

Hayley flashed her a sarcastic smile

"Well, they're cleared" Coulson said simply with a shrug before turning to Hayley "So?" He asked with a small smile

Agent Hayley Collins smirked with a nod of her head

"Aye, Captain" she mocked a salute.

"That's Steve Rogers" Coulson shook his head.

Hayley smiled with a shrug.

Hill looked at Hayley. "You're dismissed, Agent" she interrupted whatever she was going to say. Hayley flashed her an annoyed look, slowly starting to back away "Collins" Agent Hill warned dangerously making her sigh rolling her eyes and walking away, not before giving Coulson and the screen a last look

No matter what, she wouldn't let SHIELD to hurt this person

 _~8~_

 _And..._

That's how Hayley Collins ended up accepting Phillip Coulson's team offer. She headed towards a garage looking hangar smiling slightly in surprise at _Coulson's welcome from the death_ gift from Fury. It was easy telling the favoritism.

She walked past some agents working on the airplane she had heard Coulson named ' _The Bus'_ , head shaking a bit with a quirk of her lips in amusement while entering to the bus, baggage on her hands and like always (even if she were at work) she wore her casual, civilian clothes and sunglasses.

As soon as she reached the lab with glass doors, she couldn't help but laugh silently at the childish, scientific argument between two people. She pulled her sunglasses and rested them on top of her head, an amused grin playing on her lips once she spotted at the source of the argument

A strawberry blonde woman and a blonde guy, both with a distinct accent. She could immediately tell they both were nerds, or coming from the academy of science because of the terms using to each other.

Agent Ward who was standing on the doorway of the lab seemed to be in confusion as he looked from one and other and Hayley grinned dropping her baggage to the floor with a thud, startling both scientists

The strawberry blonde looked from over Ward's shoulder after sticking something in his mouth to take DNA samples.

"Fitz-Simmons?" Hayley asked with a slight laugh, pointing between the scientists

The strawberry blonde nodded with a sweet smile, pocketing Ward's saliva sample.

"I'm Simmons. That's Fitz" she said, pointing at the blonde guy who flashed the brunette a small wave.

Hayley smiled "Hayley Collins" she introduced herself, purposefully forgetting to say her title as an Agent. The other two didn't seem to mind. Hayley turned to Ward "Hello, Agent Ward" she greeted politely receiving a nod in greeting in return

Simmons smiled looking between the two specialist agents, not hiding her enthusiasm "So, are you excited to be coming on our journey into mystery?"

Hayley smiled at that, remembering her own first mission. Though both academies, hers and theirs were different. The feeling of your first mission on the field was mutual

Ward looked unfazed at the cheery Agent, seeming to be annoyed after getting some material on his mouth and his phone being broken by Fitz

"It's like Christmas"

Hayley shot him a look before looking at Simmons with a shrug "Great, I guess" she said honestly.

Simmons accepted her answer with a nod turning around but not before the sound of tires screeching caught the attention of the four agents.

They turned around to meet a nice old red car driving towards where they were, (the lab Fitz-Simmons seemed to have claim for them already).

Coulson climbing out of the driver's seat

"One of Coulson's old S.H.I.E.L.D collectibles" Fitz informed everyone "Flamethrowers, world's first GPS, he's mad for this crap" he said watching as how Coulson stepped away from the car and a valet

"Don't touch Lola" Coulson snapped, walking away making Hayley smile and shake her head at Phillip's sentimentalist for the car.

"And he calls it a girl's name" Fitz smiled, patting Ward's back, giving Hayley a smiling glance as he retired back to the lab, Simmons on his heels.

Hayley returned the smile, stuffing her hands on her cardigan following Coulson and Ward over the spiral stairs and up to the bus

"Lola's not just a collectible, you know. People tend to confuse the words ' _new_ ' and ' _improved'_." Coulson explained to them, mainly Ward as Hayley knew pretty well about his attachment to rare but nice objects.

Once they reached the top, Hayley surveyed the bus with a blank expression seeing the white cream colored couches and the bar... _Oh, dear bar. You and I will spend a good amount of time together_ , Hayley thought to herself holding back any sign of emotion creeping through her face

"This mobile command, they were in heavy rotation back in the '90s, but then we got a heli-carrier" Coulson continued leading both specialists through the narrowed hallways walking past the conference room and towards the living room, the windows that soon they were on the air will show the sky made Hayley's curious gaze turn in a ghost smile. She always liked to watch the sky

"Hey. Did you hear the one about the guy who's afraid of flying?" Coulson glanced over his shoulder, grinning impishly seeing Hayley about to answer, abut Ward beat her on it

"I've done a night jump into a drop zone under heavy fire, sir. I can handle it" he said, stance rigid hands behind his back just like a soldier, Hayley snickered to herself

"That was a joke" Hayley told Ward, patting him on his shoulder patronizingly. A glare torn on herself made her drop her hand awkwardly back down

"Yeah, the first part of a... " Coulson began, giving a shake of his head feeling slight disappointed but nonetheless kept his smile "I'm not gonna tell it now"

Hayley eyed Coulson with a sympathetic knit of her eyebrows, arms crossed over herself

"If you plan to unpack, make it quick. Wheels are up in five. We may have a hit on one of The Rising Tide's routing points" Agent Melinda May walked from behind Coulson, handing him a file and keeping a blank expression. Her presence not exactly surprising Hayley but Ward who looked with slight wide eyes

"Good. We need to do some catching up" Phil nodded addressing her.

May nodded and left not without give Hayley a small nod in greeting

"Agent May" Hayley greeted with a small wave, to which she returned a glare "Nice seeing you again"

May said nothing, walking away leaving a smiling Hayley not bothered by her cold attitude and turned to face Coulson and Ward, the latter looking to where May had left and then to Coulson and back to Hayley who didn't seem surprised

"Is that... who I think it is?" Ward's voice seemed between a mix of skepticism, hesitation and confusion.

Hayley frowned slightly, tilting her head aside turning to Coulson, expectantly but he didn't look up from the files on his hands.

"She's just the pilot" Coulson answered, while Hayley leaned over his shoulder peering down at the information. Lips pursed in a thin line suddenly annoyed with the information written

It wasn't that Hayley didn't like the Rising Tide, at contrary she did it. Only because they despised S.H.I.E.L.D as much as she did and because they liked telling the truth... But exposing it to the whole world to see? Not that she minded, but sometimes you had to be careful with the information you gave to people. Not too much as to keep them exposed and not that little to have them digging up as much as the Rising Tide did.

She liked them. But today, they crossed a line. A line she wanted to make sure they didn't cross again.

"Melinda May isn't ' _just the pilot'_." Ward spoke, frustration laced on his words making both Agents looking up from the file. Ward sighed briefly closing his eyes in disbelief "Come on, sir. What game are you really playing?"

A pause where no one talked, Hayley looking between the two agents sensing tension starting to form, shifting slightly her weight on one of her legs addressing the situation, ready to keep stable if she had to

But it wasn't necessary, Coulson closed shut the files and walked past Ward "Better stow your gear" he informed walking away towards his office

Hayley whistled softly, earning a look from Ward to which she sweetly and sarcastic smiled "Welcome aboard" she cheerfully replied, walking away.

She didn't understand yet the reason yet why she was there, though the first mission she had from the Rising Tide... she wouldn't miss it for anything

~8~

"You're gonna stay here"

An incredulous expression covered Hayley's soft features as she gazed up at her S.O

"What? No way, you brought me here for a reason" Hayley argued, folding her arms together.

"You know why" Coulson said calmly, shuffling through some paperwork.

Hayley rolled her grey eyes. "Just cause I like the Rising Tide?" She scoffed, looking away "You know that as much as I hate S.H.I.E.L.D I would never betray them like that. You know me, Phil"

Coulson looked up, features softening "I know. I wouldn't think of you betraying either of us, even if you strongly dislike all of what this organization stands for"

"Then why am I ordered being here? If you don't think I'm gonna screw up?"

"The reason why I want you here is simple. Your people skills" Coulson said calmly, fingers intertwined together as he leaned slightly to face the young Agent.

"People skills? Wouldn't you mean my profiling skills?" Hayley raised an eyebrow, completely skeptical. Coulson nodded seriously "Okay, that I would have believed it when I was at the Academy. But not now. Seriously, Phil"

"We're bringing to the bus a member of the Rising Tide, you're gonna interrogate that member and if you go do you think that's gonna earn you points?" Coulson questioned arching a brow. Hayley stayed quiet, giving a sigh after a few seconds, knowing he was right

"Fine, then" Hayley said, standing up from the chair she was siting in front of Coulson's desk. "I'm getting settled in one of the bunkers and then exploring all this bus. Brief me when you all get here?"

Couldon nodded with a small smile, relieved of not having to deal with a stubborn woman that moment like Hayley was.

Since she first joined the Academy, Coulson as her S.O always struggled with her daring and anger temperament bringing her on sticky situations, specially since not also had to keep up with studies but with control.

Something she had lack of in the begging and he had offered to help, keeping them in control took a lot of concentration and all the bitterness she felt made it worse. He was glad that bitterness didn't accompany her too long

He had the feeling that she had to be careful with how she felt or something would explode


	4. Chapter 3

**_COULSON AND WARD_** succeeded in tracking down the Rising Tide Member and they both escorted the woman (They got surprised by that but will never admit it) toward one of the interrogation rooms.

Hayley was sitting on a chair in the conference room watching the live feed as they forced the woman to sit. Hayley had a pen on her fingers whirling it around while she watched the woman's body language.

It was why Coulson wanted her out there instead inside with them, interrogating her. It made her curious how such a woman like that could have all of those skills, she could say she admired her but now she was on work. _Personal interests aside._

 _"You guys are making a big mistake"_ The woman exclaimed as Ward pulled the black bag from her head, pushing her down to the chair as she tried to stand up.

Hayley made a face

Ward seemed completely pissed off and tense while looking down at her, it was obvious the interrogation wouldn't go as planned.

Hayley had a feeling the Bad cop/Good cop scenario wouldn't work on that moment. She seemed really laid back, Hayley could see it on her expression. The woman wasn't afraid of being caught.

It was like she had hope so.

Hayley smirked. "Gotcha" she murmured keeping an eye on the interrogation, pulling her feet up towards the holo-table, getting into a comfortable position

" _You don't look that big"_ Ward replied. Even from a distance, Hayley could see the disgust coming from him.

Hayley rolled her eyes. It was common for S.H.I.E.L.D agents to hate the Rising Tide but if Ward kept on his little facade not controlling his anger, he would compromise the mission.

"Keep down the rudeness" Hayley pressed a finger on her ear, speaking to Coulson directly "It won't work, she seems comfortable enough on this position so Ward's bad cop attitude won't help at all. Play the good cop, you were always good at that, Coulson" she informed, a smirk playing on her lips

" _Sorry for the lack of finesse"_ Coulson apologized, speaking for the first time after hearing Hayley's report and ignoring Ward's incredulous look " _Agent Ward here has had a little history with your group... The Rising Tide"_ Phil told her, watching her reaction carefully just like Hayley from the cameras

" _I don't know... what you're... "_ The woman stuttered, surprise flickering on her eyes but once Hayley zoomed on her expression, she could see a micro-expression of a smirk. She seemed pleased they knew she was with the Rising Tide. It made Hayley chuckle

"Smart-ass" Hayley murmured, smirking

" _Okay, there are two ways we can do this"_ Ward cut her off leaning forward, intimidatingly

" _Oh. Is one of them the easy way?"_ The woman asked, putting on a seductive smile.

" _No_ " Ward looked at her blankly making Hayley laugh in amusement as the woman shifted awkwardly, grin fading away uncomfortable.

Even Coulson seemed entertained, smiling a small smile " _What's your name?"_

The woman seemed caught of guard by the kindness Coulson was showing and blinked hesitantly

" _Skye_ "

Hayley frowned biting her cheek as she seemed to be saying the truth, which Ward didn't believe at all. She was getting tired of his grumpiness.

" _What's your real name?_ " Ward glared at Skye. She opened her mouth but Coulson shook his head

" _That can wait"_ He said raising a hand. He looked at Skye " _It's another name we need... a certain hero"_

" _What makes you think I know that?"_ Skye asked, lips pursed folding her hands defensively.

"She knows" Hayley called over her comm to Coulson, watching carefully

" _Well, you made a little mistake"_ Coulson began, walking towards her and pulling up the chair in front of her, siting down " _The phone you filmed the hooded hero with had the same cryptographic signature as a few of The Rising Tide posts"_

Skye hid a smirk that Hayley still caught. " _Wow. Yeah. Was that a mistake?"_ She asked leaning back on her chair, a smug smile covering her expression " _Or am I now sitting in the center of your secret headquarters?"_ she asked raising an eyebrow

Hayley smirked "I totally called it" She said to Coulson. The pen on her hand whirling on her fingers on slight abnormal speed, which she paid no attention to. "But she's good"

Coulson ignored Hayley, exchanging a look with Ward

Skye looked around the room, smirking " _What is this? A plane? I got inside. And by now, you've discovered you can't beat the encryption on my equipment, so you got nothing"_

 _"We have a fairly strong coincidence..."_ Coulson said calmly.

Hayley chuckled knowing the bad cop/good cop thing wasn't leading them to nothing. Skye was cocky and confident. She should have been on S.H.I.E.L.D's radar at one point, right?

Hayley opened up a browser window on one of the computers and ran Skye's face through database getting no results found, frowning slightly

Hayley turned back on the interrogation as Skye was being asked about being on the site of the explosion, her response brought a frown to her face starting to think it was something S.H.I.E.L.D was capable of

" _Did you blow it up to draw him out?_ " Ward asked

" _Did you?"_ Skye replied

" _That's not our style"_ Coulson said calmly.

It was hard for Hayley to agree on that because S.H.I.E.L.D had a lot of different styles to bring people out. Take her for example. It was something she wouldn't never forget.

 _"I was just kidnapped by your 'style'."_ Skye exclaimed annoyed and angrily. Her body language expressing the same that Hayley couldn't help but agree as she was being genuinely truthful. She technically got kidnaped as well " _S.H.I.E.L.D. covered up New Mexico, Project Pegasus. Of course you'd be covering up Centipede"_

Both agents on the room and the one on the conference raised their eyebrows, not knowing what she was talking about.

Ward looked away scratching his neck, confusion all over his face as he mouthed at Coulson ' _Centipede?'_

Skye noticed the exchange in realization, smiling " _Holy no way_ " she breathed, amusement written on her face which after a few seconds of silence fell noticing they were being serious " _You don't know what that is"_

Ward and Coulson didn't answer, staring at Skye blankly

" _Billions of dollars of equipment at your disposal, and I beat you with a laptop that I won in a bet?"_ Skye asked skeptically

Coulson smiled slightly in amusement

" _You need to think about your friend. We're not the only ones interested in people with powers. We'd like to contain him, yeah. The next guy will want to exploit him, and the guy after that will want to dissect him_ " Coulson told her

Ward leaned closer, intimidatingly " _What is Centipede?"_

~8~

Hayley was siting comfortable over the chair outside the interrogation room, watching Skye pacing being aware of any lie told.

So far, there was none.

" _Centipede... it was chatter on the web And then gone. I traced the access-point MAC address to that building_ " Skye said

" _What were you after?"_ Ward asked

" _The truth_ " Skye answered, Hayley tilted her head aside with a frown " _What are you after?"_

" _World peace_ " Ward said blankly.

Skye looked at him, seeming to wonder if he was telling the truth.

" _You pseudo-anarchist hacker types love to stir things up"_ Ward told her, walking to her. Skye looked at him defiantly, crossing her arms over her chest " _But you're never around for the fallout. People keep secrets for a reason, Skye"_

 _"Well, just because you're reasonable and..._ " Skye said pushing him lightly on the chest, looking uncomfortable " _firm... doesn't mean that you're not an evil, faceless government tool bag"_

 _"Just give us your guy's name_ " Ward insisted, annoyed

" _He's not my guy"_ Skye exclaimed defensively

' _Their argument is amusing'_ Hayley thought to herself smirking as Coulson interrupted their stare down

" _You understand he's in danger"_

 _"Then let me go"_ Skye said " _Let me talk to him. Me"_ she gestured to Ward " _Not the T-1000 here"_

" _You want to be alone with him. Of course_ " Ward rolled his eyes taking a step towards Coulson " _She's a groupie. All this hacking into S.H.I.E.L.D., tracking powers...She might as well be one of those sweaty cosplay girls crowding around Stark Tower"_

Phil stood, seeming to be annoyed by Ward's behavior as Skye stuttered incredulously but not ashamed

" _What?! I would... "_ She paused, sighing " _It was one time"_ she mumbled

" _Agent Ward"_ Coulson called, walking out of the room.

Ward sighed following him

"Fun's up" Hayley mumbled with a slight pout pulling down her feet and waiting for them to reach the conference room where she was

 _"Give me a minute alone with_ her, you'll have your answers" Ward was saying as they turned around in corner heading to Hayley.

Hayley smirked at Coulson's nod walking to the cabinet doors, pulling out a briefcase

"She's an asset" Coulson told him

"She is such an a... " Ward stopped, realizing what he said, frowning in confusion "wait... ' _asset_ '?"

"We don't know anything about her" Hayley spoke, jumping to the conversation placing the briefcase between them on the table

Coulson nodded in agreement "Do you appreciate how often that happens?" Hayley tilted her head aside in agreement. _She would know_ "That never happens. We need what she knows"

Hayley and Coulson exchanged a look.

~8~

Hayley opened the door carrying the briefcase with her, Ward and Coulson walking from behind her

"Hello Skye" Hayley greeted, placing the briefcase in front of Skye "We haven't met. I'm Agent Collins"

Skye looked at Hayley suspiciously, seeming confused to see her on casual clothes instead of a suit.

Hayley opened the briefcase, taking out a needle

Ward stood close to Skye, making a smirk inwardly showing on Hayley's face.

"This is QNB-T16" Hayley informed Skye, Coulson watching carefully from behind her "It's the top-shelf Martini of Sodium Pentothal derivatives. It's a brand-new and potent truth drug" Hayley smirked slightly as Skye tensed on her seat, trying to stand up but Ward refusing her to do so, pushing her back down again "Don't worry. The effects only last about an hour"

Ward walked closer to Hayley, smirking at Skye. "And you'll have a very nice little nap" Hayley smiled at him raising the needle and injecting Ward in the shoulder with the needle. "Hey, what the hell?!" He exclaimed, holding his arm in surprise.

Skye flinched wide eyed and Coulson looked at her with a frown, about to chuckle

"I'm sorry" Hayley said innocently "Did that hurt?" She asked

Ward frowned, lowering his arm "No. But have you lost your mind?" He asked as Hayley backed away towards Coulson who looked at her disapprovingly but fighting back a smile "You should never do that without your boss approval. And yes, it did hurt a little bit" Hayley smirked looking at Coulson with a tilt of her head. Coulson sighed at her "But I always try and mask my pain in front of beautiful women, Cause I think it makes me seem more masculine" Ward's eyes widened in disbelief.

Skye and Hayley raised their eyebrows at him, smirking in amusement

"My God, this stuff works fast" Ward breathed in shock siting down in the chair in front of Skye, leaning his elbows on the table

"Don't trust us?" Hayley looked directly at Skye. "Why don't you ask him whatever you want?" She smirked

 _Partly_ it was a way to get the woman's trust and _some other_ a little vengeance to Ward for being a dick

Hayley tilted her head aside backing away towards the door

"What.. Sir, you can not let her do that" Ward exclaimed looking at Coulson

Coulson looked between him, Skye and Hayley, smiling slightly and following the young Agent out of the room

"You can't just... She can't just... _This is not protocol!"_ Ward shouted incredulously even though the door got closed.

Skye smirked, smugly. She pulled her jacket out and used the serum to get the truth out of him

Hayley turned to Coulson once they were out only to be met with a disapproving look

"Come on, Phil. Don't you tell me you weren't gonna do that too" Hayley tilted her head aside, laughter lacing her words "I just beat you to it"

Coulson shook his head, sighing though a smile was trying to break through as he started walking away "No. I wasn't gonna do that"

"You would. That was the only way to gain the girl's trust" she pointed out, crossing her arms "I know that was what you had in mind, you weren't my S.O for nothing"

Coulson didn't say anything, chuckling and walking away

Hayley smirked to herself "Gotcha"


	5. Chapter 4

**_AFTER_** letting Ward alone with Skye, the rest of the Agents on the bus, except for May and Fitz-Simmons, who were on the crime scene stood on the conference room trying to find out more information about the ' _hooded man_ ', the hero.

It wasn't too long after, that steps caught the attention of the brunette Agent and she turned around finding Skye walking inside the conference room.

"Did Agent Ward give you anything?" Hayley asked Skye holding back a smirk, her eyes flickering towards a TV where a passed out Ward was in live fed on the interrogation room.

Skye chuckled slightly "He told me he's been to Paris, but he's never really seen it and that he wishes you had stayed in undercover" she said looking at Hayley and then turned to Coulson "And you in Tahiti"

Hayley smirked with silent laughter, shaking her head

"It's a magical place" Coulson said with a small smile

"I'm good here now" Hayley shrugged

"Ward doesn't like your style" Skye told them curiously, looking around "Kind of think I do"

"What about his?" Coulson asked her, the news playing in one of the screens in the room

" _Remains in critical condition. Employees could not identify the attacker, but security footage confirms that this man assaulted the factory foreman before damaging thousands of dollars' worth of company property"_

Hayley pursed her lips, watching the news about the hooded hero attacking/destroying a factory. She ignored Coulson's eyes on her as she crossed her arms. She felt as if she could relate with what he was going through, _way before_ she joined S.H.I.E.L.D

"This is wrong" Skye protested, shaking her head "This is not... the guy I met. He was..." Skye stopped herself, torn not knowing what to do. "He just needs a break" she finished sighing.

"Then give him one" Hayley looked back at her, getting rid of the memories plaguing her mind "What have you got?"

Skye sighed, looking between them and the news fed before biting her lip and putting a driver license in front of them

Hayley and Coulson exchanged a look.

~8~

May and Fitz-Simmons were back, where after getting the driver license from Skye, they figured out who the _mysterious hero_ was.

Mike Peterson

They, minus Ward were siting on the conference going over Skye's information at the holo-table

"Michael Peterson" Coulson began, "Factory worker, married, one kid. Gets injured, gets laid off. Wife jumps ship. Good guy, bad breaks. Best guess is, somebody tells him they can make him strong again, make him super"

"Who has the tech to do that? And why would they want to?" May asked

Skye paced around the room

"Fitz, what do we have from the security footage before the blast?" Coulson asked

Fire recovered the video on the Holo-table, it made a beeping sound as he worked

"What are we seeing?" May asked as Fitz pushed a bottom, the screen showing a video about a lab.

Fitz stared at the screen intently trying to find out

"Well, the man is angry at the other man" Hayley answered instead obviously, arms folded on her chest.

Coulson tilted his head at his agent before looking at Fitz patiently.

Fitz didn't say anything, fidgeting awkwardly with his fingers.

Simmons looked awkward "The data is very corrupt"

"Yeah, like cold war Russia corrupt" Leo added

"Yeah" Simmons nodded in agreement

"I-I can't sync the timecode without... " Fitz started before Skye stepped forward raising her hand

"What if you had the audio?" Fitz-Simmons turned to face Skye "I was... running surveillance on the lab. I had my shotgun mic pointed at the window before the blast. The digital file's in my van" Skye looked at Fitz-Simmons "There's too much background noise for me, but you could probably..."

Simmons turned to Fitz "You can clean that up, can't you? Find a sync point and use cross-field validation to find-"

"But I can't scrub for expression patterns when the vit-c is all... " Fitz trailed off

"Well, is there a chrominance subcarrier?" Simmons asked

"Yeah, attached to the back porch" Fitz answered "Brilliant" he turned to Skye "Um, that audio would be great. Thank you very, very much"

"We will take that audio, please" Simmons said also smiling, both of them thanking Skye at the same time

The rest of them exchanged a look, slightly creeped out but shrugged it off

"Your van's here, but you were right" Coulson looked at Skye "We couldn't decrypt the files"

"The encryption's coupled to the GPS. Get my van back to that alley, and then I'm in business" Skye said crossing her arms before walking away

"Agent May will escort you" Coulson told her. May nodded curtly and walked way but no before he called to her again "And on your way out, wake up Ward"

May nodded walking away

~8~

Coulson, Fitz, Simmons and Hayley were on the garage of the bus waiting for Skye to sent them the files she was talking about.

Skye and May were on the phone, on speaker

" _Audio file should be coming through_ " Skye told them " _Its not compressed, so it might take a minute"_

Fitz nodded in agreement, a pen on his mouth as he walked towards his desk

"Uh, yeah" His computer beeped "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm getting it" he started tipping on his computer "So, uh, uh, when... when you get back, I'll show you my thing. _A_ thing. It's not... I-it's my hardware. My equipment" he grimaced, feeling embarrassed "Let's hang up" he hang up and walked away from his desk, shaking his head

Hayley chuckled, looking back at Simmons who was working over the alien metal they had found on the crime scene. She was looking over the microscope.

"So, the alien metal wasn't the explosive?" Coulson asked, standing next to her

"Well, I assumed from the break pattern and dispersion that it was, but it's just dripping with gamma radiation" Simmons told him. Hayley wasn't paying attention, looking at Fitz working making sure he didn't need help "And... Oh!" Hayley turned to face Simmons startled when she exclaimed only to grimace at the yellow liquid that started to drip from the device "Now it's actually dripping" Simmons chuckled, "Fun"

Ward entered the lab

"So, what did that get us?" Ward asked

Fitz walked closer "Skye's sending us the rest of her decrypted files on Centipede" he picked up some computer chip and walked to the entry of the lab, where the cars where parked "But we have her audio. I've loaded it up"

"Nice work" Coulson looked Ward, smiling a small smile.

Hayley smiled making Ward look between them annoyed

Fitz walked towards his computer, typing "Now, using motion estimation, Bayesian inference," Hayley felt eyes on her and turned to face Ward who was giving her a glare. She chuckled looking away towards Fitz "A beam splitter, and a little diffraction theory, our mystery man..." he hit a bottom, allowing a hologram of the video from the lab they were watching before appear "Appears" Coulson, Ward and Hayley walked closer, curiously "Its like magic. But it's-its science"

Hayley chuckled at Fitz walking around the hologram

"Explosives in the case?" Ward asked

The hologram played showing the same video from before but this time with audio.

" _Please calm down. Just let me check your vitals"_ A man said

 _"I feel fine. I want to feel more. Where's the doctor? Where is she?!"_ Man 2 said, anxiously and angry

Simmons looked up at the video from where she was working on the alien metal

" _I-if you don't settle down, I-I'll have you sedated"_ Man 1 said

 _"Where is she?!"_ Man 2 shouted picking up a chair holding it over his head, looking furious before he slammed the chair down

"Wait" Hayley raised her arm, making Fitz stop the video. "Did you-Did you see that on his arm? Fitz, rewind please"

Fitz rewound the video

 _"Where is she?!"_ Man 2 shouted picking up a chair holding it over his head, looking furious

"Pause" Hayley told him. Fitz put the holographic video on pause. Hayley narrowed her eyes stepping closer, pointing at Man 2's arm "What does that look to you?"

Ward followed Hayley's gaze, stepping closer only to find a device on Man 2's arm "A centipede"

Simmons stood up, walking closer to them after finishing the analysis

"It's an intravenous filter for his blood" Simmons told them "This goo, sir... very similar to the serum Dr. Erskine developed in the '40s for the... "

"Super soldiers" Coulson finished, looking at them

"I'm reading alien metal, gamma radiation, the serum" Simmons continued "Every known source of superpower thrown in a blender"

Phil turned to Fitz "We need to see the origin of the blast. Run it back from the last point recorded"

~8~

Fitz was playing the holographic video again from the last recorded point, rewinding it to see where the blast came from, revealing after a few moments later that the blast came from the centipede patient himself

"Extremis" Coulson said "It's new. Completely unstable"

"Poor man didn't bring an explosive" Simmons said softly, biting her lip

Hayley passed a hand through her hair, worriedly "And Mike has the same stuff in his system"

They all realized what that meant, exchanging looks.

"And judging by his strength level, a lot more" Ward told them

"So any minute now, Mike is gonna... " Fitz trailed off

"He'll take out anyone within a two-block radius" Simmons said, concerned

"Well... you wanted a bomb" Coulson tilted his head at Ward, walking away not seeming happy by the outcome

Hayley gave the holographic video one last look, seeming to be worried about Mike as she walked away towards the lab

~8~

Hayley helped whatever she could on the lab, though the results they found out about the centipede explosion weren't exactly what they were looking for.

"There has to be a way to stop it from exploding, right?" Hayley asked the scientists, looking anxious and worried about Mike.

Simmons looked up from the last test she was making, shaking her head "This is bad" she sighed heavily, running out of the lab.

Fitz followed her.

Hayley grabbed the results, giving them a read over sighing putting it down and following behind Fitz-Simmons as they were telling Coulson what they had found

Seeing Simmons, Hayley could easily tell from her body language that under her calm facade, the woman was worried and stressed out.

Hayley watched from behind them as Simmons explained "The two are connected. It-Its kind of a chemical surge. But calming him down will buy him a minute at most. He will detonate within the next few hours"

Hayley frowned, "Tell me there's a solution" she told them, walking forward. She had seen the results, but she had never been good at reading scientific reports

Simmons grimaced, sighing shaking her head looking at Hayley and then at Coulson who also wanted a solution "Isolate him, get him away from people"

"Or?" Coulson asked, not satisfied by her answer

"Put a bullet through his brain" Fitz answered

Hayley looked away, stressed. That wasn't the answer she was expecting.

"If he's dead, this irradiated metabolic process will stop" Simmons informed them

"We need to come up with a third option" Coulson said "One that doesn't involve Mike's son losing a father" he told them turning away

"We have a couple of hours at most" Simmons told them, "There's no way that we could possibly-"

Coulson turned to face them "Don't ever tell me there's no way!"

Fitz and Simmons flinched, not used to Coulson's snapping like that, though Hayley barely reacted, used to Coulson's positive attitude. It was situations like that when Coulson told her there was always a way that both infuriated her and cheered her up

"It's on you" Coulson pointed at them "Get it done"

Hayley frowned a bit, confused by his behavior with them on that as he walked away.

She turned to face Fitz-Simmons and sighed sympathetically

"It's okay, you can do this, that's him having hope" Hayley told them softly, glancing over where Coulson and Ward were picking up their weapons "Let's get to work" She said smiling gently at them and the three of them walked way, leaving


	6. Chapter 5

**_FITZ, SIMMONS AND HAYLEY_** were working on the lab.

Hayley was providing whatever help they needed, grateful that they didn't push her away when she was there. Knowing this was serious they didn't push her

Hayley couldn't help muse to herself for a second. ' _If this wasn't a life or death situation they'll be over my ass to not touch their things'_

Hayley was on a computer, typing. She was opening up a new file, gathering information about centipede while Fitz and Simmons were working. She had felt she was getting their in their way and that's why she stepped back. Only butting to cheer them up and not give up

Fitz was looking at a large computer screen "Come on. Give me more paralysis. Less rigor mortis. Oh, come on!" He walked towards his computer hurriedly. Hayley looked up "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no"

Fitz sat on his computer

Simmons was working over her vials, also stressed out. Her hands shaking as she tried to focus

"Guys, come on" Hayley spoke softly, looking between them over the screen of her computer "Just pretend this an exam alright? You're both are taking an exam"

"And exam, yeah" Fitz agreed, slightly relaxing "Okay"

Simmons readied a vial with blue liquid "Yeah"

"I don't want an F" Fitz told them "F equals a massacre"

Hayley chuckled slightly watching Simmons putting the vial into a machine, seemingly more relaxed.

Hayley looked back at the computer about to continue typing when a security breach protocol appeared on the computer "Whoa!" She exclaimed startling both Fitz and Simmons.

Simmons walked closer, seeing the same on both computers, Hayley's and Fitz's "Oh, no. What is this nonsense? Why are you making nonsense?"

Hayley frowned typing trying to get out of the protocol breach but it wasn't working. She looked up when Ward and Coulson walked in

"This isn't me" Fitz told them and looked up at Hayley, questionably. She shook her head

"Its noise. Someone's hacking our secure channel" Hayley said frowning

"It's longitude and latitude" Coulson informed them "Mike took Skye. She's telling us where"

Coulson and Ward walked away towards the cars. Hayley jumped from the stool she was sitting on and grabbed her jacket.

"Keep going, guys. I know you can do it" Hayley told them, flashing them thumbs up and a reassuring smile as she went to an SVU, climbing inside as Ward and Coulson were there already and they drove out of the bus.

Fitz and Simmons exchanging a look, continuing to work

~8~

Ward, Coulson and Hayley arrived to a train station where Mike had taken Skye and his son Ace, the coordinates she had sent them.

The three agents got out of the car, walking towards Skye's blue van

"Look at this place" Ward began, looking around them "You're gonna risk thousands of lives over some nobody"

Hayley frowned at him, not saying anything

"Nobody's nobody, Ward" Coulson told him calmly, "Fitz-Simmons will come through"

Hayley nodded in agreement, raising up a megaphone and starting speaking through it "Mr. Peterson, good morning. We're not a threat. We're here to help. But you're in danger, and we need to take you in"

While waiting a response from Mike, Hayley lowered the megaphone before Mike kicked the van door of the van towards them.

In a reflex, Ward brought Hayley and Coulson down for cover so the door didn't hit them

The van door soared over them down the sidewalk, making people scream running away so they wouldn't get hit. The door, mysteriously slowed down a bit before falling to the ground without harming anyone

Hayley looked back at where Mike picked up Ace, lowering her arms as he pulled Skye out of the van by her arm, pulling them into the station.

Ward grabbed his rifle, standing and running after them

~8~

Hayley had stayed outside, making sure there was no harmed civilians when screams and groans caught her attention, turning to face the station.

Hayley walked towards a Police Officer, seeing her escorting away a familiar young boy

"Hey, I'll take care of the kid" Hayley looked at the police officer, politely. The police officer eyed Hayley suspiciously. Refraining herself from rolling her eyes, Hayley pulled up her badge "I'm Agent Hayley Collins from S.H.I.E.L.D. My boss is inside helping this boy's father. I can make sure his son is okay as well"

The police officer looked at Hayley's badge before nodding and letting go the young boy's hand, before walking away

Hayley knelt in front of him, smiling gently "Hello. My name is Hayley. What is yours?"

The young boy smiled, "Ace"

Hayley smiled at Ace, "Cool name. What about we go over there and sit down? Shall we?" She asked standing up, holding her hand towards him.

Ace hesitated slightly but grabbed Hayley's hand, looking up at her

"Where's my daddy? He's a good man, Miss" Ace asked her, looking up innocently.

Hayley didn't answer, sighing sympathetically "We're going to help your daddy, Ace. Okay?" She said softly.

Ace nodded slowly, believing her

Hayley and Ace walked towards the SVU, where she helped Ace up on the backseat giving her IPhone so he could play while waiting.

Ace smiled gratefully, starting to play a game.

Hayley turned her back on him, leaning against the passenger door, putting her earpiece so she could be informed about what was happening.

" _We may have a third party_ " Hayley heard May say over her comm. She frowned straightening up, looking around trying to find something suspicious "He's gonna head down to the tracks"

Hayley bit on her lip, hearing all the commotion through her earpiece while keeping an eye on Ace.

 _"Think that means anything?"_ Mike suddenly said, making her listen intently after all the commotion ended " _I know you got men everywhere waiting to put me down. I know how this plays out"_

 _"I don't"_ Coulson said _"I know you got poison in your system. I know it's burning you up. Mike, the last guy who wore that exploded_ "

" _I'm not like that other guy. I'm... It matters who I am... inside, if I'm a good person, if I'm strong"_

 _"I have a clear shot. Do you copy?"_ Ward said over the comms, on another connection.

" _I know you're strong. Your boy knows it_ " Coulson said. Hayley bit her lip, glancing at Ace, who was playing with her IPhone, oblivious to what was happening to his dad, "He needs you to let us help"

" _You took him!"_ Mike exclaimed desperately, Hayley flinched slightly at the his voice breaking and took a deep breath, grateful none of her team was watching her

Hayley turned to face Ace mustering up a small smile, before telling him that she'll be right back, starting to back away towards the station not before telling a police officer to watch over Ace, all while Mike continued talking.

" _You took my wife, my job, my house. You think this is killing me?! All over, there's people being pushed down, being robbed. One of them tries to stand up, you got to make an example out of him"_

Hayley walked inside the station, walking closer to May and Skye who were keeping their distance from Coulson and Mike.

Mike was almost on the verge of tears

"You bring this building down on us, will that help them?" Coulson asked calmly

"That's a lie!" Mike exclaimed "All you do is lie!" He said, destroying a table nearby, turning to face them "You said if we worked hard, if we did right, we'd have a place. You said it was enough to be a man. But there's better than man. There's gods. And the rest of us... What are we? They're giants. We're what they step on"

Coulson stepped closer until he was face to face with Mike "I know. I've seen giants. Up close. And that privilege cost me... nearly everything. But the good ones, the real deal? They're not heroes because of what they have that we don't. It's what they do with it. You're right, Mike. It matters who you are"

Mike was calmed down, for what Hayley could interpret he still was desperate but more than all, depressed. There were tears on his eyes "I could, you know? Be a hero"

"I'm counting on it." Coulson told him

There was a silence before a gunshot hit on Mike's forehead, making him fall to the floor

Hayley instantly turned around, looking up following the bullet's trajectory while Simmons ran past them towards Mike, kneeling next to him

Hayley found Ward and Fitz standing together over in a balcony, holding up one of scientists guns, while Fitz held onto a rifle

The brunette looked down to see blue veins spreading through Mike's skin that calmed down the glowing orange beneath his skin.

Simmons smiled breathlessly in relief, looking towards them

It worked. Mike was okay now.

Hayley and Skye both sighed in relief.

May gestured for EMT's to bring in a gurney. They did as told

Fitz looked down at everyone, giving them thumbs up, winking.

Hayley looked up towards Fitz flashing him thumbs up, turning to look down at Simmons, smiling at her proudly flashing her thumbs up as well, remembering them she had always believed they could do it as she had told them before on the bus

Simmons couldn't believe she and Fitz could make their technology to work, smiling in shock at herself

Hayley smiled at everyone before backing away and towards where she had left Ace, knowing she wouldn't be giving him bad news.

~8~

Once Hayley made it outside, Ace was already looking for her, seeming to have gotten bored

Hayley smiled at the police officer gratefully, before walking past her towards Ace.

The police officer walked away

"Your dad is fine" Hayley told Ace, making a relieved smile spread on the boy's face "But right now he needs to go to the hospital because he isn't feeling that well and told us he doesn't want to worry you" she told him leaning slightly against the opened door.

Ace looked up at her, worriedly "You're not going to arrest him, right?" Ace asked biting his lip

Hayley smiled a small smile, shaking her head "Of course not, buddy. He was just feeling sick. We were helping him and now, doctors are gonna do that for him too"

Ace sighed in relief "Thank you for helping my dad" he said wrapping his arms around Hayley's middle, hugging her.

She breathed a chuckle, wrapping her arms around his shoulders before pulling away and kneeling in front of him, looking at him seriously

"Now. Your dad told us he wants you to be safe while he's not home with you. So we're going to take you with your aunt. It's that alright?" Ace nodded, "Alright. I can not take you myself with her but a couple of friends of mine will, they're really nice"

Ace gnawed on his lip, before meeting her gaze softly, "Will I see you again?"

Hayley didn't answer, smiling slightly looking over her shoulder seeing Skye and Coulson walking to them

"Those are my friends. They'll make sure you get to your aunt sound and safe"

Ace sighed, looking up at Coulson and Skye before giving a small polite smile.

~8~

While Coulson and Skye took Ace over his aunt, the rest of the Agents were celebrating their first accomplished mission.

Fitz was eating

Simmons and Hayley were drinking, while the latter was also writing on a laptop.

A laptop beeped making them all confused as Ward checked it out.

Ward looked up over his shoulder to the others, nodding at the laptop.

The other agents walked closer. Hayley raising her eyebrows at what they got.

"Interesting" she murmured giving a sip of her drink as Ward called Coulson

" _Go_ " Coulson answered

"Sir, we've got an 0-8-4" Ward told him, the phone on speaker as he checked over the information on his laptop

 _"Is that confirmed?"_ Coulson asked

"They want us to go in and confirm it" Ward informed him, sighing

Hayley stayed silent, feeling distracted forcing herself to clink her beer with Simmons' and forcing a cheerful smile


	7. Chapter 6

**_"O-8-4"_**

The bus was flying through the clear sky

H.Q came in through a radio _"S.H.I.E.L.D. 6-1-6, you have course confirmation. You are cleared direct to the Slingshot. Agent Coulson, everything all right up there? We heard you had a little dustup on the ground"_

"Yeah, we're all good" Coulson answered "It's gonna be blue skies from here on out"

Not a moment later, there's a explosion and a hole blasted on the side of the bus

Inside the bus, there's a computer screen that reads: **_HULL BREACH_**

 ** _EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION_**

Alarms were blaring through all the bus

Coulson was hanging onto a wall in the living room of the bus, hanging on for dear life so he wouldn't get swept away by the wind toward the hole in the bus

"Coulson! Hang on!" Simmons was calling from an unseen location of the plane

~8~

 ** _19 hours earlier_**

The bus was parked at an airfield.

Hayley walked out of her bunker holding a book in her hands as she walked past the living room towards the conference room.

Skye was on the garage getting her things aboard after joining the team as a consultant.

As soon as Hayley entered the living room she saw Coulson, May and Ward talking. Her eyebrows furrowed at the conversation they were having about Skye

"Why not?" Hayley asked Ward, knowing he was the only one who didn't agree _completely_ on Skye being there with them

"Skye's a member from the Rising Tide," Ward drawled looking at her and glancing at the others "She hacked our SRA implementation"

"Twice and from a laptop" Hayley agreed nodding "Imagine what she could do with S.H.I.E.L.D's resources. That's pretty cool" she smiled ignoring Ward's scowl.

"It's not cool" Ward scolded her. Hayley shrugged in disagreement, "I can imagine what she would do. That's exactly what I'm imagining with this frown"

"As opposed to which frown?" Coulson asked

May smirked barely

Hayley smiled slightly in amusement

Ward ignored that, looking at Coulson "You brought me on for a risk assessment. She's a risk. She doesn't think like us"

"Exactly" Coulson told them.

Hayley smiled "Neither do I think like you. Am I a risk?" She asked Ward tilting her head barely, smirking straightening up closing her book

Ward didn't answer.

~8~

In the conference room, Coulson, May, Ward and Hayley were still talking.

May looked at Coulson "We have two kids on this bus who aren't cleared for combat. You're adding a third"

Hayley tapped her cheek with her fingers, listening. She seemed to not have a problem with Skye joining them. She always had Coulson's back and if he said he was okay with Skye joining their team, then she was okay with it as well

"At least Fitz-Simmons are trained S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists" Ward said before pointing at Hayley "You have undercover and profiling skills" Hayley raised her eyebrows "But Skye? You said this was a select team. Assembled to work new cases, to protect people. I don't see how letting some hacker tag along-"

"I'm looking for an objection I haven't already anticipated" Coulson interrupted "I'm calling this" he looked at Ward "But your frown will be on record"

"We've been called in to investigate an O-8-4" Hayley spoke frowning "We all know what that means" She said knowingly.

Coulson ignored that, handing May a tablet "Yes we do. It means we don't know what that means"

Hayley chuckled walking away towards the living room, siting down on one of the couches, still carrying her book opening it where she had left her bookmark not seeing Skye, Fitz and Simmons walking in.

Hayley looked up hearing May's voice over the intercom _"Wheels up in two. Lock it or lose it"_

Hayley buckled up, seeing Coulson talking to Skye a few feet away.

"I don't even know where are we going" Hayley heard Skye and briefly looked up from her book, listening

"Peru" Coulson answered "That's where the O-8-4 was reported"

"And an O-8-4 is..." Skye trailed off

"An object of unknown origin. Kinda like you," Coulson told her. "Team goes in, determines if it's useful or if it poses a threat. Last one turned out to be pretty interesting"

Hayley smirked. Those were the little things she liked about S.H.I.E.L.D. She got to see the cool superheroes

"A hammer"

Skye smiled in awe.

~8~

 ** _Incan Archaeological Site - Llactapata, Peru_**

Once they landed on Peru, May lowered the plane on a safe ground.

The team was driving on two cars through the desert of Peru on the way to the location of the O-8-4

The cars pulled over.

Coulson, May and Hayley walked out of the first one.

Ward, Skye, Fitz and Simmons got out of the second car

"Tire tracks 40 meters back. I'll check them against the site's trucks" Ward told them" Make sure we're alone"

Ward got back into the car

Hayley looked around, putting on sunglasses and following Coulson

"Too much exposure here," May told them "I'm gonna find a place to park" she said getting back to her car

May and Ward pulled their cars back and drove away to find a better parking place

Coulson, Skye and Hayley walked along through the trees

Fitz and Simmons walked ahead of them

"We should warn the people who live around here if the O-8-4 is dangerous" Skye told them "They're already dealing with anti-mining rebels and the shining path guerillas. I could post something"

Hayley chuckled, shaking her head

"Remember the panic when that anti-matter meteor splashed down just off the coast of Miami, nearly devoured the city?" Coulson asked without looking at her

"No" Skye answered

Hayley made a face, rolling her eyes. Something she never liked about S.H.I.E.L.D was that they kept people in dark about things that could possibly mean their _destruction_.

Coulson turned to face her "Precisely. Because we kept it quiet and contained"

They stopped walking for a second

"So, what am I doing?" Skye asked.

Hayley crossed her arms, curiously

"Well, if it gets out, I might need you to create some kind of diversion, put the public on the wrong scent" Coulson told her

Hayley rolled her eyes, looking away.

Skye nodded sarcastically "So everything that I'm against"

Yep" Hayley said bitterly, turning around and walking away towards the ancient Incan building, leaving a confused Skye behind her

Coulson followed, both of them walking up the steps to the building towards a male archeologist who was standing with Simmons and Fitz. "Morning, Professor. I'm Agent Coulson and this is Agent Collins with S.H.I.E.L.D. I understand you've made an interesting discovery"

They pulled their badges out, showing them to the profesor before putting them away

Skye walked closer

The professor sighed "I-I'm not sure how to explain it. This temple dates back at least 500 years. It's filled with pre-Incan artifacts. One of them is impossible and looks like it might be dangerous"

"Well, that's why we're here" Coulson told him

The professor nodded and lead Fitz, Simmons, Coulson and Hayley inside the temple

The professor lead the way down a couple of stairs going deeper into the temple until they reached a wall with a shiny metallic device engraved with Incan drawings. Blue showing out from under the metallic substance

"Exactly as we found it" the Professor told them

"Who else knows about this?" Coulson asked as he inspected the metallic device from afar

The professor placed his hands on his hips "Just the ministry. I believe they are the ones who contacted you"

"Sir, I need you and your team to evacuate the site until we determine the risk associated with this object" Coulson told him

Fitz and Simmons were already pulling out their devices, kneeling on the ground

A device flew closer to the professor, getting within inches of his face

Simmons had a tablet on her hands, controlling the device "Leave the man alone"

Simmons used the tablet to control the device and sent it to scan the object (O-8-4) in the wall

Coulson turned to face the professor "Now. For your own safety"

The professor sighed walking away, out

Skye was checking her phone "Nothing about this anywhere. It's amazing" she walked closer "I searched every data stream. What do you got here, guys?"

Skye came very close to the O-8-4 about to touch it

"Whoa, car- uh, careful" Fitz told her "I-I - no, wouldn't do that"

Hayley walked to Skye and gently grabbed her shoulders, leading her away from the object with a small smile

Coulson was inspecting the object without touching it

"The object's placement in fossiliferous rock formations suggests it's been here for at least 1,500 years" Simmons informed "That pre-dates this temple by a millennium. Ah! Maybe it's alien"

"Yeah, but the shape and the craftsmanship?" Fitz asked. "It's almost German" Leo told them

Hayley was on the entrance of the cave where the O-8-4 was, keeping an eye on the others as they tried to determine what the object was

The cracking of a radio sounded, making Haley turn to Coulson as he took it out

 _"Sir?"_ Ward's voice said

"Go" Coulson took his radio out

 _"We have a situation"_ Ward told them

"Lots of rebels in this area" Skye told them

"Not enough gunfire" Coulson told them "Keep working" he spoke into the radio "I'm on my way"

Coulson walked past Hayley giving her a look nodding to entry

Hayley nodded, following him outside where they found Peruvian policemen with their guns raised to Ward and May.

Coulson walked out of the temple, speaking Spanish. Hayley behind him, tense ready to fight if necessary _"Buenos Días._ [Good Morning] _Soy el Agente Coulson._ [I'm Agent Coulson] _Estamos aquí por un asunto de la seguridad internacional [W_ e are here on a matter of international security]"

A woman in military clothes and sunglasses walked closer "Phillip?"

"Camilla?" Coulson asked surprised "Do you mind?" He gestured around

Camilla Reyes shrugged "After you" Coulson looked at Ward and May nodding. He gave Hayley a look making her reluctantly nod dropping her fighting stance. Ward released the policeman he was holding pushing him forward and May lowered her gun. The policeman lowered their guns, speaking in Spanish.

Hayley narrowed her eyes at Reyes, suspiciously walking towards May and Ward as she walked up the stairs of the temple to join Coulson, taking off her sunglasses "And now for a proper hello"

Reyes kissed Coulson on both of his cheeks, smiling

Hayley crossed her arms, profiling the woman. Ward noticed, raising an eyebrow

" _Comandante_ [Commander]" Coulson told her "A promotion. Congratulations"

"Three years ago" Reyes told him, chuckling "But thank you"

"Agent May, Agent Ward, Agent Collins, this is Comandante Camilla Reyes," Coulson introduced as May, Ward and Hayley closer. "She's with the _policia_ _militar_ _del_ _Perú_ [Military Police of Peru] We used to work together back in the day" Reyes smirked barely. Hayley smirked knowingly, exchanging a look with Ward as May scoffed lightly "Let the team know everything's okay"

Hayley caught Coulson's eye and he looked at her with a pointed look. She gave a quick look around and barely nodded walking to the temple, walking past them

Haykey walked inside just as Skye was about to leave.

"We've got company" Hayley informed them

Ward walked past Hayley, inside "National police"

"What?" Simmons asked

"Why are they here?" Fitz asked

Hayley walked towards the O-8-4 "They heard about this object. They're probably here to protect it. This area has lots of rebel uprisings"

"Yeah, people are fighting back against the government's mining policies. It's pretty kick-ass" Skye told them

"Yeah, it's kick-ass, all the violence" Ward told her, sarcastically

"That's not what I'm saying" Skye told him

Hayley narrowed her eyes and looked at Fitz and Simmons "How much longer?

"What's the hurry?" Simmons asked looking up

"Are we in danger?" Fitz asked looking up

"Not if everyone does their job" Hayley told them, looking back at the object

"What is yours, exactly?" Ward asked Skye.

Skye didn't answer

"For God's sake" Hayley snapped, turning around to face them "Leave her alone!" They flinched startled, not used to Hayley raising her voice "We all know how you feel about her, there's no need to remind us every two freaking seconds"

Skye looked at Hayley shocked that she defended her.

Ward looked at her, surprised

Fitz and Simmons looked up at her.

Hayley looked between all of them and sighed, "Let's keep working. Shall we?" She turned around without waiting for a response


	8. Chapter 7

**HAYLEY** looked up hearing gunfire, shouting and explosion from outside.

One of the explosions shook the temple making them stumble slightly as dust fell over their heads.

Hayley leaned slightly over the wall, near the O-8-4 to steady herself. "Sounds like we're not alone anymore" she said

"Let's go. Rebels. They're coming for it. Let's move!" Ward exclaimed, pulling out his gun and getting into position if someone entered the temple

Fitz and Simmons started to gather their devices workers. Hayley hesitated looking between them and the O-8-4.

"No, no, no, no, no, no" Fitz grumbled in panic as Skye helped putting their devices on the wrong slots.

"It doesn't matter" Skye stressed

"It does to me" Fitz snapped lightly

"Please, let us do this" Jemma told Skye calmly "We need a containment case for the O-8-4" she said looking up

"There's no time" Ward told them. Hayley nodded in agreement, biting her lip looking over their shoulder to the entrance

"But it has a fluctuating power core" Fitz said "Frequencies way above 10 exahertz"

There was an explosion from outside.

Hayley rolled her eyes turning to them "Sorry guys" she told them, making them turn to her as she looked at the object "But science class is over"

Hayley grabbed the O-8-4 and using strength, she pulled it out of the wall

"Whoa!" Fitz exclaimed, making her turn around, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait. You did not just pull that out of the wall" Hayley knelt next to a bag and placed the O-8-4 inside "What is the matter with you?!" Fitz grabbed Hayley's shoulders shaking her slightly trying to make her look up, "Do you realize we do not know the amount of photon emissions coming out of this..." Hayley swatted his hands, forcefully making him turn around to put the bag with the object on his shoulders "...Okay" Hayley closed up the bag, straightening up "We don't know what will happen if it gets excited"

"Stay close" Hayley patted his back, walking past him pulling out her own gun ignoring Ward's scolding look

"Fitz! Come on!" Simmons told him

They all walked out of the temple

~8~

Once they made it outside, they had to stop on the entrance as the gunfire between the rebels and the Peruvian police was going rapidly

Ward and Hayley fired their guns towards the rebels as they lead Skye, Simmons and Fitz

Hayley cursed under her breath "Get back!" She exclaimed

Skye, Fitz and Simmons took cover in the entrance of the temple.

A bullet on it's way to Fitz's head suddenly changed trajectory, hitting a tree instead

Hayley looked away from the others towards Ward as he pulled out a device from his jacket, snapping it open.

They exchanged quick look before Hayley walked to the others

"Get down, don't raise your head at all" Hayley ordered them.

Ward ran forward to the top of the stairs of the temple, flipping through the air, landing on a crouch on the ground at the bottom of the stairs, stabbing the device on the ground.

The head of the device levitated over the ground, glowing

Hayley pushed the guys down and they ducked to the ground as well as the Peruvian policemen

The device sent out an electrical wave that threw all of the rebels to the ground

Ward stood up, taking the device out of the ground, tossing it aside and looked over his shoulder at Hayley, nodding

Hayley nodded standing up, gesturing Skye, Simmons and Fitz to do so as well.

The three came out from hiding, following Hayley down the stairs towards Ward.

A rebel pointed his rifle towards Ward and Hayley hit the ground once harsh, making some rocks fly up slightly and she swiftly grabbed two, throwing one towards the rebel, hitting his hand making him hiss and drop his hand from his rifle and she used that moment to throw the other one at his other hand making him hiss in pain dropping his rifle.

Hayley cocked her gun and shot him, following the others as May pulled up her SVU with Ward's car in tow by a ballpin connecting the two vehicles

May threw open the door

"Get in!" Ward shouted at them, "Get in!"

"Move!" May exclaimed at them "Now!"

"Yes" Simmons agreed

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Fitz agreed

Skye, Simmons and Fitz got into May's car, Hayley helping Fitz with the O-8-4, keeping an eye out from whoever that shot at them

Ward disconnected the ball pin from the cars, opening up the door of the second and climbing inside leaning towards the seats, pushing open the passenger as Hayley aimed and shot her gun covering the others' backs from the rebel shooters.

Hayley turned around seeing the door opening and gave one last shot climbing inside.

Ward started driving without waiting for Hayley to close the door.

Hayley closed the door once they were on the rocky road.

Ward followed May and another truck where Reyes and Coulson were traveling.

Reyes' men were following behind.

~8~

In Ward's car, Hayley was firing her gun from over the window trying to slow down the rebels on their tail.

"Coulson's secure in PMP's truck" Ward said lowering his gun as Hayley retreated back, huffing her hair from her face. Ward spared a glance at Hayley before speaking over his radio "May, take the south route to the airfield" he spoke into the radio. Hayley glancing backwards continuously

 _"Got it"_ May told him

They continued driving through the woods and the rocky terrain.

"This is not good" Hayley told him as some bullets ricocheted of the vehicle

"I know" Ward told her, looking around at the terrain. "Head left" he spoke into the radio, giving a turn to the left. Ahead May's car turned left as well "The ravine empties"

Hayley watched ahead as the ramp of the bus slowly lowered to allow the cars to drive onto the plane.

Hayley grabbed Ward's radio "May, how fast can you have the wheels up?"

" _Fast_ " May answered

Hayley nodded looking at Ward as he pulled up into the garage of the bus.

May's car pulled up as well and May walked out of the car, "Ramp!"

Ward and Hayley got out of the car.

"On it" Ward said, walking away

Hayley walked to Skye, Fitz and Simmons making sure they were okay after they walked out of their car, walking toward the lab with the bag with the O-8-4 and their equipment

Ward walked to the control panel for the ramp, hitting the buttons.

Skye walked up to him "What are you doing?! Coulson is still out there!"

Hayley walked to Fitz, helping him pull the bag with the O-8-4 on the ground

"Get off the ramp. You're in the line of fire" Ward told her, pulling her away from the ramp

Hayley looked at Fitz's worried look and couldn't help but frown herself warily looking down at the object of unknown origin

She heard gunfire and whirled around pulling out her gun gesturing the others to take cover if by any chance the bullets ricocheted towards them

They did as told, siting at the back of the garage nearby the lab, out of the line of fire, ducking down.

Hayley in front of them getting ready just in case. She sighed in relief once she saw Coulson safe, though she pursed her lips seeing Reyes and her men walking inside as well before they closed the ramp leaving the rebels outside

Hayley holstered her gun, still tense not trusting very much the others.

Ward looked at Coulson "Cut it pretty close, sir"

"Didn't want to leave anyone behind" Coulson told him

"I gotta say," Skye began, panting "I miss my van"

Hayley looked between her team as Ward asked "Now, what was the problem?"

Fitz looked up, trying to catch his breath and calm down after all the adrenaline used on the attack "As I said before, this device has a high-frequency, fluctuating, sub-material compression-"

"Fitz, in English" Ward told him

"The O-8-4 is fueled by tesseract technology" Fitz said slowly "Hydra. World War II. Captain America" Simmons and Skye stood up "It's full of lethal amounts of gamma radiation"

"Gamma?" Ward repeated "You're saying it's nuclear?"

Hayley shook her head, "No" she answered looking up, "He's saying it's much, much worse"

After that statement, Coulson, Skye, Ward, Fitz, Simmons and Hayley took a step back from the bag with the O-8-4


	9. Chapter 8

**_THE BUS_** was on the air now, flying through the sky

Simmons, Skye and Hayley were in the lab, standing around the table where the O-8-4 laid still in the bag

Simmons was wearing gloves as she started to remove the O-8-4 from the bag talking to everyone, mostly to herself "Not to worry. The device is stable. Not that it couldn't explode at any minute, especially if it hit with machine-gun fire. But things like this happen from time to time when in the field, and at first, it's very unpleasant, and you regret your decision to leave the lab at all"

"Not helping at all" Hayley murmured to Simmons, frowning

Ward and Fitz walked in, arguing

"Are you mental?!" Fitz exclaimed "I did explain in great detail exactly what I meant, using the queen's bloody English!"

"I use normal English" Ward told him "Words like ' _duck_ ' and ' _run_ ' and ' _might_ _blow_ _us_ _to_ _pieces_ '

Skye, Simmons and Hayley exchanged a look

"Oh. Oh! Wow" Fitz said sarcastically "Well, congratulations, Agent Ward. You managed to string three words together in a sentence"

Hayley couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

Ward turned around to face her with a ' _Seriously?'_ expression

"What?" Hayley defended herself, shrugging "He's funny"

"Oh, and don't get me started with that ' _I_ _don't_ _care_ ' attitude" Ward snapped at her. Hayley's smile slowly faded away "You've been a pain in the ass about the rules since you got recruited. If so. Why are you still here if you don't like it?" Ward raised his eyebrows when she didn't give an answer. He chuckled sarcastically "S.H.I. 's rebel agent over here, people. And yet she's here following orders"

Hayley clicked her tongue annoyed, leaning against the chair she was siting on, ignoring for the second time Skye's confused look

It didn't take long before Fitz and Ward started to argue again while both Skye and Simmons tried to stop them from fighting though it did escalate a bit

Hayley watching amused, feet on top of a table, getting comfortable

Coulson walked into the lab

"I'm trying to tell you-" Fitz was saying

"I don't understand anything you are saying" Ward told him

"Do we have a problem in here?" Coulson asked seriously

Ward straightened up, turning away from Fitz to face Coulson "No, sir. Just working on our communication. Not everyone was prepared for a firefight"

Hayley silently thanked God the noise was over as she tilted her head down, slightly rubbing her forehead

"We got out, didn't lose anyone, saved a few of theirs" Coulson told them "I'd say we did all right. Anything else?"

Skye raised her hand "Uh, yeah. I have a small question. Because I've been feeling like the tagalong hayseed rookie, but now I get the sense that Ward doesn't know which one's Simmons and which one's Fitz, and they've seen even less gunfire than me, and I'm no rocket scientist and Collins over there is like the annoyed girl who has to be here unwillingly but she doesn't want to" Hayley raised an eyebrow, tilting her head aside sarcastically "But is this your first mission together?"

"No" Simmons answered "Of course not"

Hayley crossed her arms, looking up at Skye from where she was siting, rolling her head over her direction "Actually. This is our second" she pointed out

"I was your first?" Skye asked "That's sweet" she told them sarcastically

"You're amused?" Ward asked her, skeptical

"I'm terrified" Skye answered "I am in way over my head, but I have been on this team just as long as any of you. I might as well be team captain" Simmons and Hayley scoffed softly. No one else said anything, unamused "I was joking, but maybe that's not a bad idea, because these guys do not like each other much"

"This isn't about that" Ward told them "I'm a specialist. Today, I could have eliminated the enemy threat myself if I was working alone, but I had non-combat-ready agents-"

Hayley rolled her eyes, annoyed by his attitude

"Whoa, whoa, wait" Fitz interrupted. He looked at Ward, pointing at him "You work alone?"

Simmons walked over to stand next to Fitz, rolling her eyes at Ward "So typical. Who do you think designs your equipment?"

"Or the polymers for your weaponry" Fitz added

"Yeah" Simmons nodded

"People like us do it" Fitz told him

"Try going into the field with just your bare bum" Simmons told him

Hayley dropped her feet from the table "Oh, come on Ward. I'm also a specialist. Do you even see me complaining about working on a team?"

Ward scoffed, using Skye's words against her "Why would you? You don't care. You are here unwillingly"

Hayley glared at him, opening her mouth to speak when Coulson stepped forward

"We still need to iron out the kinks" Coulson told them "But, Ward, you can speak six languages. Collins, you have profiling skills I hadn't seen in another agent in a long time. Simmons, you have two PhDs in fields I can't pronounce. Fitz, you are a rocket scientist. So work it out"

Coulson gave them a last look before walking out, leaving

"I-I'm ...I'm good at stuff, too" Skye said with a sigh, looking over where Coulson left

~8~

Hayley was walking near the bar, pouring herself a drink looking around at the living room seeing Ward and Skye sitting together and around them, Reyes' men siting near them. She frowned lightly seeing their glasses full and their tense postures as she looked at them siping her drink casually.

Hayley placed her drink down, purposely making noise to get Ward's attention. She smiled apologetically at the acting shady men that turned to face her before looking at where Ward and Skye were siting

Ward caught her eye.

There was a moment when Hayley barely flickered her eyes towards one of the men before dropping her gaze and walking away

Ward looked in realization, looking at them and sipping his drink as if nothing was wrong, continuing talking with Skye

~8~

Hayley knew something was wrong as soon as she noticed the men having not touched their drinks and acting shady.

She was starting to realize _why_ was it that Coulson wanted her on his team

Hayley needed to check on Fitz and Simmons as they were the ones without protection as she knew Skye being Ward would be fine. The scientists had no training to be on fighting situations.

She was near the stairs to get to the lab when someone grabbed her shoulder and pushed her against the wall. She groaned in pain hitting the wall before looking up at one of Reyes' men.

Hayley punched him in the face, twice. She raised her leg and kicked him in his stomach making him back away, letting her go. He doubled slightly over his abdomen before lunging towards Hayley. She ducked, spinning around kicking his lower back pinning him against the wall.

Another man, Man 2 walked from behind her grabbing her from her waist lifting her up and throwing her to the floor. Hayley hit the ground with a thud making her groan. Man 2 raised his leg to push her down but Hayley rolled out of the way, standing up in a crouch seeing Man 1 standing from where she had pinned him against the wall

Man 2 tried to punch Hayley. Hayley caught his arm, twisting it over his back and made him face Man 1 as he tried punching her, punching Man 2's face instead.

Hayley slammed Man 2 against the wall and turned to face Man 1, kicking him on his stomach.

Man 1 caught her leg before it hit him and tugged it towards him roughly, making Hayley crash towards him and he flipped her to the ground, pinning her on the floor with his left arm on her throat. Hayley tried to pry off his hand but he pressed his knee against her hand making her groan in pain as she struggled, gasping for air.

Man 1 grabbed Hayley's head and slammed it against the ground, hard enough to make her unconscious but not seriously harm her

Hayley's body fell limp under Man 1's grip


	10. Chapter 9

**_MORNING_** came.

Reyes' men took control of the bus as Skye, Fitz, Simmons, Ward, May and Hayley got tied up nearby the ramp/cargo hold and Coulson on the preparation room

Both May and Hayley were unconscious

"This is my fault" Fitz told them "Should have learned Kung Fu"

"Oh, yeah. But I shouldn't have pushed you into the field in the first place" Simmons told him "You weren't ready"

"It was my job to make a proper threat assessment" Ward told them

"Uh, we weren't ready" Simmons told them

"This wouldn't have happened if Agent May wasn't on the stick" Skye told them "She would have busted out some of her ninja know-how. Or Agent Collins with her reading minds thingy"

"Collins gave me the signal something wasn't right after profiling some of them" Ward told them, frowning

"Yes" Skye agreed "But too late. What about Agent May, then?"

"Agent May?" Fitz asked frowning "No. No, no. She transferred from administration"

"Well, I've seen her destroy a guy, so..." Skye trailed off

Skye, Simmons and Fitz looked at Ward in confusion

"You've heard of the Calvary?" Ward asked, tilting his head aside

Simmons and Fitz nodded "Yeah"

"Uh, everyone at the academy talks about stor-" Fitz told them

Hayley moaned softly, rolling over her head as she slowly woke up, fluttering her eyes open

"She's the Calvary?" Simmons and Fitz spoke together

May opened her eyes, as well just waking up "I told you to never call me that"

May straightened up from her induced sleep. She had been the first one down as they needed to take control of the bus and she was the piloting the bus.

Simmons smiled "I can't believe it. Oh, we're sure to get out of here now" she looked at May "Um, how do we get out of here?"

Hayley struggled to get herself into a siting positing, her head throbbing slightly

May sat up "Can't go through the doors. They're bolted, tied to the pressurization lines"

Hayley leaned against the ramp/cargo hold wall, looking over Ward toward Fitz and Simmons "And you two geniuses. You have nothing?" She asked, wincing lightly in pain

"Agent Collins, are you alright?" Simmons asked concerned, hearing the pain on her voice.

Hayley ignored the concern "Yes. I'm fine"

Skye looked at her in concern "Your forehead is bleeding"

Hayley rolled her eyes, "I'm fine. I've had worse" she replied. Ward nodded in agreement, looking at Skye and Fitz-Simmons "But seriously. You have nothing?" She repeated, looking at Simmons and Fitz

"Yeah, well, it's hard to concentrate in these intense situations" Fitz told her. Hayley cringed, smiling apologetically

"Hey" Ward told them "Don't freeze up. Take a breath. You don't need to come up with the whole solution" He looked at Skye "Just part of it. Right?"

"Yeah. Pieces solving a puzzle" Skye smiled a small surprised smile

Hayley looked between them knowingly, smirking slightly knowing something happened between them

~8~

They were stil tied up, planning on how to get out of there

"Well, that's clearly the worst idea we've heard yet" Simmons told them

"But it could work" Skye told them

"Reyes is gonna kill us the minute we land, regardless, and blame it on rebels" Ward told them "This way, we have a fighting chance. I'll take it"

"What's first?" Hayley asked

"We can't get upstairs without going in the lab" Fitz told them

Hayley leaned her head back, sighing tiredly briefly closing her eyes

"And the only way to release the lab doors is from upstairs" Simmons told them.

Hayley opened her eyes looking at them

"The first thing is, we're tied to the cargo door" Skye told them "So unless you can-"

May thrusted her arms, making something crack

"What the hell was that?" Fitz asked

Hayley smirked slightly "Her wrist"

Fitz shuddered

~8~

A man was at the top of the stairs, pacing. He looked down toward the others, noticing May wasn't there anymore

Hayley smirked looking up.

May was hanging onto the railing below him, flipping up to wrap her legs around his neck, flipping him to the ground. She jumped down, snapping her wrist back into place, looking at the others

Skye, Simmons and Fitz were in shock

Hayley and Ward smirked

~8~

They were now free, standing together in a circle

"Okay, we're sure, right?" Skye asked "Everyone's sure?"

Hayley looked at them annoyed

"We're all on board" Simmons answered

"Yeah, let's do this fast" Fitz told them

"No turning back" May told them "No freezing up"

Hayley backed away, toward a SVU.

"Because if we do, then... " Leo trailed off

"All of us die" Ward told them

"We know" Skye told them

"All right" Ward told them

Hayley smirked revving the engine to get their attention "You all are such goodie two shoes"

Hayley got into the the car

Everyone got out of the way

Hayley drove the car through the lab doors, tearing them down smirking while she did so

Hayley walked out of the car as the alarms blared.

Skye, Simmons, May, Fitz and Ward walked into the lab

~8~

In the lab, Fitz was working over a device.

Simmons took a screw gun to undo the screws in the vent above.

Skye was going though a cabinet.

Simmons took the vent off.

Hayley walked closer

May was keeping an eye out, opening a nearby door walking out, leaving

Fitz was getting something ready. He controlled one of the electrical devices, dwarves, sending one up through the vent

Hayley was going through a bag, finding rope.

Skye found another bag in the cabinet, finding straps

Ward was going through another bag, finding chains.

Skye, Ward and Hayley attached the rope, straps and chains to Fitz and Simmons, and then themselves

They all were getting ready to leave when they heard the intercom _"S.H.I.E.L.D 6-1-6, we have radar contact. Requesting confirmation on a change in course. Over"_

Skye, Simmons, Ward, Fitz and Hayley exchanged a look

 _"Agent Coulson, are you there? You have course confirmation. You are cleared direct to the Slingshot. Agent Coulson? Everything all right up there? We heard you had a little dustup on the ground"_

"Simmons, forget what I said before" Fitz told her "This is the moment that we'll regret"

Fitz hit a button on his tablet.

They waited for the activation of the O-8-4, sensing the blast from it destabilizing the plane and alarms started to blare

The doors unlocked.

"It worked" Skye told them in surprise

"The drop in cabin pressure released the doors" Simmons informed them.

"Collins and I'll take care of the soldiers" Ward told them. Hayley nodded in agreement, "You guys get to the O-8-4"

"And Coulson?" Fitz asked

"Let's hope he can handle himself" Hayley told them "For now"

Skye nodded as Hayley and Ward walked away.

The others following behind.


	11. Chapter 10

**_WARD AND HAYLEY_** walked inside the living room, immediately the wind coming from the blasted hole on the wall of the plane formed by the O-8-4 blowing her hair back and everywhere.

They walked forward, attempting to lead the others inside.

One of Reyes' men was hanging onto dear life, shooting at them

Hayley looked back at Skye, Fitz and Simmons, having to shout over the wind "Get back!"

They took cover behind the wall.

Man 1 fired two shots, running closer.

One of those hitting the ceiling as Hayley walked from behind the wall catching Man 1's wrist, twisting it from behind his back so he couldn't shoot at the others, grabbing the back of his head and slamming it against the table behind the coach, making him fall to the ground on the other side. She jumped over the coach and table, kicking Man 1 in the face making him fall and falling back onto another coach in the process while she hold onto a coach so she wouldn't be swept away toward the hole.

Hayley looked around, searching for the others noticing Man 2 coming from behind Ward, trying to shoot him.

Ward caught his wrist, twisting the gun out of his hands, kicking him in the stomach, punching him in the face. He pushed Man 2 onto another coach, strapping his wrist to the coach. Man 2 tried to punch Ward with his other arm. He punched Man 2's face, grabbing his free arm, strapping it to the coach so that he wouldn't be swept away, either.

Hayley, noticing he was okay looked over her shoulder spotting Skye, Simmons and Fitz "Go now! Find the O-8-4!"

Hayley looked around the living room seeing everything being swept towards the hole in the wall. As herself, more men were holding onto something to prevent being swept away, including Coulson.

Hayley paused, looking back pushing her blowing hair out of her face spotting Coulson holding onto dear life from a wall.

She looked around, seeing Fitz having lost his balance and let go of the coach, stumbling toward a table, holding onto it and walking towards Coulson.

Once she walked past where Fitz was standing, the Scottish scientist could steady himself, slowly standing up.

Hayley noticed Coulson grabbing Reyes' hand as she was being dragged toward the hole in the plane. She walked to them, grabbing onto a wall to keep herself from being swept away "Coulson!" She called to him "Hold on!"

The wind was so harsh that they both had to let go of the rope Coulson had been holding onto so they wouldn't fall through the hole in the wall of the plane. Hayley looked down at herself seeing a rope hanging from her waist that she had been using with the others and looked up just in time, holding her hand with the rope in front of her, squinting her eyes slightly managing somehow to catch Coulson and Reyes' intertwined hands and tied them together with the rope so they wouldn't fall through the hole

"Hang on!" Hayley exclaimed, looking concentrated on making sure they didn't slip from her hands as she struggled on moving away towards the other side of the plane

Hayley crouched down, suddenly seeming tired as she fell forward, immediately grabbing onto something on the ground to keep herself from being dragged towards the hole. Her hand burned from how tight she was holding the rope with Coulson and Reyes' intertwined hands. She tried not paying attention to it, straining her arm's muscles to keep them steady on the floor while the force of the wind tried to drag her away, her hair blowing to her face

Coulson noticed Hayley helping him and looked around getting a hold of tube from the floor, pulling himself up with it dragging Reyes with him and making sure he wasn't giving Hayley to much weight to hold onto.

Hayley immediately sighed in relief once she didn't have Coulson and Reyes to take care of.

Coulson tied up Reyes with difficulty.

Simmons screamed. Hayley turned to the noise seeing a man tugging the rope between Simmons and Fitz toward him

Suddenly, the ropes the man was pulling to get closer to the O-8-4 and the others got cut, making him let go and be sucked back towards the hole

Fitz looked in confusion for a second, before looking away and stumbling towards the others.

Hayley breathed heavily as the wind seemed to get stronger and was about to let go feeling tired when a yellow life raft was sucked towards the hole in the plane, covering it up completely saving Ward just in time as he crashed toward the life raft

The wind was suddenly gone.

Another of Reyes' man crawled toward a gun on the floor, grabbing it.

Coulson stood up, walking closer to him and stepped on his wrist to stop him, punching him in the face making him fall unconscious, picking up the gun

The bus stabilized now. May being in control of the bus

Hayley immediately seeing everyone okay dropped her head forward to the ground, relaxing and starting to breath easily.

Everyone started to relax as well.

"I read the safety pamphlet" Skye told Ward laughing slightly in relief as she helped him up

Hayley looked up, laughing incredulously from the ground, feeling relieved "Finally someone read that damn thing" she groaned, struggling to get herself into a siting position leaning against a couch when she felt her something wet on her nose. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand before someone noticed.

Ward walked closer and offered his hand to Hayley, helping her up to her feet. She stumbled slightly, blinking twice as Ward steadied her.

Simmons, Fitz, Skye and Ward, helping Hayley to walk as she seemed dizzy walked closer to Coulson.

All of them breathing heavily, relaxing

Ward helped Hayley sit down on the bar. Immediately, she leaned slightly forward placing her hands on the bar, resting her head on the palm of her hands, giving Ward a grateful look

"No other way in, huh?" Coulson asked them, placing an empty glass on the bar next to Hayley "Was just starting to warm up to this place"

Skye grabbed a coaster placing it down and picking up the glass setting it on the coaster

Coulson looked at her in slight amusement

"The O-8-4 is cooling and stable" Fitz told them "But we should call H.Q. and get it to the Slingshot as soon as possible"

"Told you they were good" Coulson looked at Reyes, who had been tied up by Coulson

Reyes looked up at him not saying anything.

Skye, Simmons, Hayley, Fitz and Ward looked at each other in relief and awe that they could work together successfully, nodding

~8~

The bus was parked at the Slingshot.

Simmons was checking Hayley's injures, cleaning up the dried blood from her forehead "You were lucky not having got something worse" she told Hayley "But, before you say you are fine. I can still diagnose you with a concussion. So no arguing. You need rest. And you will as soon as we leave here like the good solider following rules you are"

Hayley rolled her eyes wholeheartedly, immediately regretting the action as it made pain flare up on her forehead, wincing

"Don't do that" Simmons scolded her as Fitz walked in to the lab, carrying a cooler

"We blew up a plane!" Fitz exclaimed, smiling excitedly.

Hayley smiled in amusement as he pulled open the tap of the cooler taking out a beer handing one to Simmons and giving one to Hayley. She accepted it under Simmons' scolding look, making her smile innocently

Simmons tried taking the beer away from Hayley.

Hayley held it away from her, pouting "Come on, Jemma. I need it. We all do. We had a pretty rough week"

Simmons frowned "You're injured" she told her

Hayley raised a hand, shaking her head slightly "So? I get injured in every mission I go to. It's part of the unwanted job's description"

"That's not an excuse!" Simmons told her

"Just one, then" Hayley batting her eyelashes innocently "Scout Girl's word" she mock saluted

Fitz chuckled, grabbing the cooler an walking away quickly not wanting to deal with two arguing women

Hayley narrowed her eyes at Fitz's back "Bloody coward" she murmured lowly faking a Scottish accent.

Simmons sighed, "Alright. Just one. But don't complain later you feel sick"

Simmons followed Fitz.

Hayley did a little victory dance, holding her head slightly with a wince, jumping from the table and catching up with Fitz and Simmons as he again announced their victory

"I had a new experience" Simmons told them, beer in hand.

"Eat that, Professor Vaughn" Fitz smirked

"You had a new experience" Simmons looked at Skye "But it was new for all of us"

They walked past May and Ward

May walked closer "They're happy"

"Hey, come on" Hayley called out to them, whirling around facing Ward and May walking backwards "You guys don't want to miss this" she nodded her head to Fitz and Simmons who were siting on the edge of the ramp.

Ward and May walked closer

Hayley sat next to Simmons "So, it'll take about 180 days to reach the sun. Now, yes, of course, it would have been faster if they'd used hydrogen-fueled APUs, but they're having fun"

Hayley chuckled

Ward and May sat on the edge of the ramp, next to them

Skye stood behind them, chuckling watching Simmons and Hayley handing beers "How many of those have you guys had?"

Hayley and Simmons smiled.

"Sk-Skye" Fitz chuckled.

Simmons laughed slightly at Skye "Its important when in the field to unwind from time to time"

"Yeah" Hayley agreed

"Yeah" Fitz agreed "Especially after a hard day of everyone almost dying"

Coulson walked closer, passing Skye and going to stand in front of the others

"Which doesn't happen every day, right?" Simmons told them "It's an anomaly. An irregularity. Not..." she trailed off, seeing Coulson stoping in front of them "the norm" she said slowly

Hayley shook her in amusement at Simmons' low tolerance for alcohol before looking up at Coulson

"Speaking of 'not the norm'," Coulson began "Whose idea was it to blow a hole in the plane?"

Nobody answered for a few seconds, looking up at Coulson with guilty expressions

Skye looked at them worriedly before looking up at Coulson nervously "May said that the doors were tied to the pressurization, so I thought-"

"So we thought it was the only way to release them" Hayley told him, smiling slightly as she technically destroyed the lab doors

"It was everyone's idea, sir" Ward added

"Yes, quite genius, really" Fitz told them

Coulson looked between each member of his team with a small proud smile

"Nice work" Coulson told them

They all looked at each other, smiling small smiles at their teamwork

 _"Man, All clear for liftoff"_ A man said over PA

"Oh, time for blastoff" Fitz told them. Skye looked at Hayley gratefully for not letting her take the fall for the idea. Hayley shrugged smiling. Fitz spoke in a nasally voice "Launching. In three..." They laughed "Two..."

Everyone watched as the blastoff sent the O-8-4 far away toward the sun in the sky.

Fitz spoke normally, with his Scottish voice "The trajectory will take it beyond the Lagrange point so that it doesn't hit Herschel"

"And there haven't been any coronal mass ejections, so it shouldn't lose telemetry" Simmons added

"Guys, English" Ward scolded them, playfully

Hayley smiled, chuckling

All of them watching the blastoff, looking content


	12. Chapter 11

_**"The Asset"**_

The bus was flying through the bright blue skies

In the garage, Ward was in workout clothing, training

Hayley was on the lab with Fitz and Simmons, her feet up on a table while typing on a laptop while she tried to tune out the scientist agents' science chattery.

Hayley noticed Skye coming and clicked her tongue in disapproval, checking her watch, realizing she came late for her workout training with Ward.

She wanted to become a Field Agent and Ward became her S.O. _At least try,_ Hayley shook her head looking back at her laptop

Skye walked to Ward and they started training.

It wasn't too long after that Ward looked toward the lab "Hey Simmons, Collins" Hayley and Simmons looked at Ward and Skye "What did your S.O. give you guys for morning drills?"

Hayley blinked confused at the question, looking between Skye and Ward and Simmons

"Oh, atomistic attribute drills" Simmons answered. Ward nodded, turning to look at Skye "Yeah, we'd name the mechanical, chemical, thermal ... "

"Electrical properties of materials" Fitz finished

Ward looked toward at Hayley and that's when she realized why he asked

Hayley closed her laptop, standing up from her chair "Hours and hours of documental about micro-expressions and body language"

Skye sighed, tilting her head aside looking at Ward "Okay, okay. They made your point"

Hayley walked closer

Ward walked around the boxing bag they were using, standing on the other side of it so he could hold the bag still for Skye "There will come a moment when you have to commit to this or bail. Every field Agent has a defining moment. Ask Coulson. When you have to make the hard call to either dedicate yourself to this or to curl up in a ball and run"

Hayley leaned against a wall, crossing her arms nodding in agreement

"How can you run if you're curled up in a ball?" Skye asked

Hayley chuckled in amusement

Ward tilted his head to give both Hayley and Skye a look from around the boxing bag "It's my job as your S.O. to make sure you don't die before then. Come on"

Skye started punching the bag.

Hayley watched curiously, seeing Skye wasn't too committed on the training. She made a face. Skye wasn't ready yet

"So what was yours, Agent Ward?" Skye asked

Ward didn't answer "10 minutes"

"Your defining moment?" Skye pressed. Ward didn't answer, looking away from her. Skye paused in punching. She looked at Hayley "Yours, Collins?" Neither Hayley nor Ward answered. Hayley was preoccupied profiling Skye to care about her curiosity "Come on, tell me. I want to know"

"You're not ready" Hayley told her simply.

Even though Skye thought that as not ready to hear their defining moments, both Hayley and Ward knew she had meant something else

Ward tilted his head at Hayley.

Hayley looked at him with a ' _What? It's true_ ' expression

Skye looked between them raising her eyebrows "Come on. Or I could get her to give you some of that truth serum" she told him, nodding at Hayley "You could spill your little heart out to me again" She told to Ward, chuckling

Hayley crossed her arms, looking at Ward knowingly

"You mean my level one overshare that miraculously got you to cooperate?" Ward asked skeptically. Hayley smirked "I hate to tell you this rookie, but we don't have a truth serum"

Skye sighed, continuing to punch the boxing bag

" _Changing course, briefing in three"_ May announced through the bus speakers

Hayley pushed herself away form the wall and walked upstairs.

Fitz and Simmons following behind

 _"S.H.I.E.L.D. 616 with new orders. Set for Colorado air field North"_

~8~

Fitz-Simmons were siting on a couch in the living room.

Hayley was siting in front of them, on another coach

Ward and Skye walked in, in a change of clothes

Coulson walked toward them, starting to brief them "A few minutes ago, a S.H.I.E.L.D. transport was attacked while carrying a priority red protected asset off route 76 near Sterling"

Skye sat in a chair, next to Hayley

"Priority red?" Simmons asked

Coulson showed them the information on his tablet "The asset was Canadian physicist Dr. Franklin Hall, known for his work-"

Simmons leaned forward in recognition and worry "Oh, no, not Frank"

Fitz leaned forward "Dr. Hall? He was our chemical kinetics adviser our second year"

"Yeah, he's so enthusiastic about science" Simmons told them "We just adored him. We can rescue him, can't we?"

"He's one of ours" Coulson told them "We're gonna try"

"And the attackers?" Ward asked

"Invisible" Coulson answered, pacing

A small grin appeared on Hayley's face.

"Wait" Skye looked skeptical "Invisible?" She chuckled. Hayley looked at her in amusement "Cool" Ward gave her a look "But terrible"

~8~

It was dark in Sterling, Colorado

Coulson's team were walking across the pavement

"Dr. Hall was an asset?" Skye asked

"One of a few select scientists S.H.I.E.L.D. has been protecting" Coulson told them "People our enemies would love to get their hands on. We keep them hidden, keep them on the move"

"Which is why Fitz and I were so lucky to have him" Simmons told them

"We don't have him anymore" Fitz told them

Hayley looked at them sympathetically

"And what does priority red mean?" Skye asked

"It means security should have been..." Coulson trailed off. They stopped walking, looking up seeing a car in a tree "Heavy"

~8~

On the road of the accident, Coulson and May were interrogating Agent Mack, the driver of the truck from where Frank Hall had been abducted

Fitz and Simmons were nearby, checking the accident site.

Hayley was walking along the road near them looking for something suspicious

Simmons was wearing green goggles "Fitz, what am I seeing here?"

Hayley frowned looking at the pavement and crouching down, barely hearing the others talking. She looked up as if sensing something odd, picking up sand from the ground

Fitz walked closer to Simmons "Well, I'm not wearing the full-spectrum goggles I designed, so... " Fitz chuckled "No clue. Let me have a look" Ward and Skye walked closer "Come on"

Hayley sucked in a breath, looking up at them from over her shoulder "No, no, no, no! Wait. Don't move. Wait a second"

Everyone stopped, looking at Hayley in confusion

Hayley looked at sand she had picked up and stood, tossing it out into the air in front of them

The sand was levitating, blowing around.

Hayley smiled slightly in awe, looking over her shoulder her smile fading away

Coulson and May walked closer

"What the hell?" Fitz asked

Coulson looked at Hayley.

Hayley frowned, shoving her hands to her jacket

"I think the electro-static field scanner activated some...thing" Simmons told them

The sand suddenly started being thrown around wildly with enough force to hurt and cut into someone

"Okay, can we deactivate it? Now?" Coulson asked

They all ducked as the sand was thrown at them

Fitz looked at Simmons "Have to increase the density"

"I tried, Fitz, but ..." Simmons trailed off, in panic

Fitz took the device from Simmons to do it himself

"Fitz!" May exclaimed

The device sparked, making Fitz drop it

The sand suddenly fell to the ground

Simmons sighed, noticing a tiny metallic piece on the ground, picking it up. "That did all this" She said in awe

Coulson grabbed the tiny metallic piece

"What is that?" Skye asked

Coulson looked at the metallic piece on his hands "Something big"


	13. Chapter 12

**_THE TEAM_** was back on the lab of the bus, standing around watching Fitz and Simmons analyze the metallic piece

"Either someone cracked our comm system" Coulson told them "Or Dr. Hall's movements leaked from inside S.H.I.E.L.D"

"You really think we have a mole?" May asked

Hayley looked up, curious

"I think you should go through the communication logs, rule it out" Coulson told her "We'll work the tractor tread that we found on the scene"

"I can do that instead of pull-ups" Skye told them "I can upload an image of the tread pattern, check to see if there's any sort of-"

Ward walked in "Already done. Matched it to a 2010 model. Found a list of purchasers within a 500-mile radius, narrowed down to those with priors, financial troubles, or propensity for risk-taking" he pulled up three suspects on a computer screen "Three suspects."

"Who may have sold their construction equipment to the kidnappers. We'll ask" Coulson told them

Ward walked away

Hayley tilted her head aside, watching closely at the computer screen, thoughtful

Skye looked between Hayley and Coulson, turning to face him "Hey, so, Ward said a funny thing. He said that you guys don't have a truth serum"

Hayley looked at Coulson

Coulson looked innocent "Did he? Ward said that?"

Skye nodded "Yeah."

"Interesting." Coulson replied, walking away

"Yeah" Skye frowned "Hey, wait-"

May walked to Skye, handing her a binder "Hey"

Skye looked up at May "Do you want me to bench press this?"

"Read it" May told her "Every communication out of HQ since they decided to transfer Dr. Hall"

May walked away.

Hayley chuckled, tilting her head aside standing up "Good luck" she told Skye, walking away

"Wait" Skye told her. Hayley stopped at the lab doors "Little help?"

"I've done a lot reading when I was at the academy. I don't need more" Hayley told her "Now's your turn"

Hayley walked away, leaving Skye alone with the binder

~8~

It was the next day on the lab

There were gold bricks on the table that Coulson and Ward had found

Simmons and Hayley were scanning them.

Simmons showed what she found to Fitz, Coulson, Ward and Hayley "It looks like this because it's a doré bar. It means it was made at the mine rather than in a refinery. It's only about 92% pure. The cowboy got cheated a bit."

"Can you determine the mine based on the impurities?" Coulson asked

"Yeah. We've done that already" Hayley answered, straightening up and turning to face a computer, typing "It's from the Dacey mine in Tanzania" Coulson walked closer to the computer, "Which is owned by Quinn Worldwide"

Coulson sighed, looking from Simmons to Fitz "I'm sure you studied the C.E.O. in your chemical engineering classes or saw him on the cover of Forbes. Ian Quinn."

Hayley scrunched her nose, shaking her head sighing

~8~

In the lab, Simmons, Fitz, Hayley and now Skye were talking

"Gravitonium." Fitz began, "It's an extremely rare high-atomic numbered element."

"That powers the device" Simmons told them "It's so extremely rare that most people didn't believe it existed, much less the theory that an isolated positive charge-"

"Would turn the flow from isotropic-" Leo interjected

Hayley looked between them, amused

"Guys, high-school dropout here" Skye interrupted "How does the device work again?"

"Well, Gravitonium distorts gravity fields within itself, causing an undulating, amorphous shape." Simmons told them, slower

Fitz pointed at the model on a large screen "Which causes these, um... wiggly bits here, but when an electric current is applied, the Gravitonium solidifies" He used his hands to illustrate what he meant "And those gravity fields erupt, randomly changing the rules of gravity around it" he walked past them towards his computer "Well, so, now you can imagine what would happen to a big rig at 100 kilometers per hour" he sat down "Or, uh, well, you could just remember, 'cause we saw it already, didn't we?"

Hayley looked between them, twirling a pencil on her hands "And guess which genius published every theory about Gravitonium and possible applications years go?"

"Dr. Franklin Hall" Skye realized

Hayley smiled, pointing at Skye with the pencil as if she had won something "Correct!"

"And Dr. Hall attended the University of Cambridge at the same time as Ian Quinn" Leo told them

"Coulson may be off on this" Skye told them "Quinn is a notoriously good guy. His charity endowment's something like $8 billion"

Hayley made a face, dropping the pencil on the table "Yes, with money made from leeching the earth of its resources" she told her "Looks like he's dug up another."

~8~

At the conference room of the plane, the team reunited

"The man's a prisoner, and it's up to us to get him out" Coulson told them

"We've checked the specs" Ward told them "There's no way into Quinn's compound without a large S.H.I.E.L.D S.T.R.I.K.E force or a man inside. He's got neodymium laser fencing surrounding the property."

"They'll never allow a strike force into Malta" Coulson told them. Skye was on her phone. "Plus, this weekend, Quinn worldwide's got its annual shareholders gathering. We'd risk global outrage, but-"

"If we go in alone..." May trailed off

Hayley smiled bitterly, "S.H.I.E.L.D. can disavow us, claim ignorance." She spoke with a singsong voice

Coulson looked at her disapprovingly

May gave Hayley a look

"Without a man inside, it's impossible, unless you're immune to pulse laser emissions." May told them

"If we had a monkey, we could get in" Fitz told them thoughtfully

"Oh, Fitz!" Simmons groaned, looking up

"If we had a small monkey, he could slip through the sensors and disable the fence's power source with his adorable little hands" Fitz told them

Skye was still on her phone "I could go in"

Hayley tilted her head, looking at Skye curiously

"Drop me in the hills outside of Valletta" Ward told them "I'll spend a few weeks establishing a cover, gathering intel -"

"Hall doesn't have a few weeks." Phil told them

Hayley raised her eyebrows, smirking barely "And to restate, any Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. caught on Maltese soil can be shot to death with bullets, legally"

Coulson sighed

"Yeah." Fitz agreed with a sigh

"Not me" Skye told them "I could go in"

"Skye, this is serious." Ward told her

"Let the girl talk, she may have a good plan" Hayley told them. She stepped closer to Skye "Go ahead. What do you got?"

"Well, I'm not an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., so I can go in without breaking all these stupid rules." Skye told them

Hayley smiled slightly

"International laws." Jemma corrected her

"This isn't something the Rising Tide can hack, Skye" Ward told her

"Did you hear the deadly lasers part?" Fitz asked "Without a brave monkey-"

"You said you could go in with a man inside" Skye told them

"And you want to be that man?" May asked

"Fitz-Simmons loved the guy, and he needs help" Skye told them "They could be torturing him, or worse" she looked at Ward, pointedly "Making him do strength-training"

Hayley tilted her head aside

"But you don't have the background or clearance or experience with any of this" Ward told her

"I know" Skye smiled, smugly. She showed them her phone "But I've got an invitation. Well, technically, it's an e-vite"

"I can go with her if you want" Hayley looked at Ward "I do have enough training to go in undercover. Besides I can clearly pass as a non-agent. Erase my badge from the system and I'm not agent at all"

Ward frowned

Coulson tilted his head at Hayley "Are you sure about that?"

Hayley didn't answer, looking back at Skye handing her phone to get her an e-vite as well

Skye smiled raising her eyebrows smugly grabbing her phone

~8~

It was dark now. The plane was still flying

Hayley was in the kitchen, a glass of water in her hand

Skye walked closer

Hayley heard steps and turned around meeting Skye

Skye sat down on the table in front of Hayley "Hey"

"Skye" Hayley greeted, tilting her head aside

Skye hesitated, "Can I ask you something? I mean, it's something it has been over my mind since Peru"

Hayley frowned, slowly lowering her glass from her lips. "Okay" she leaned forward on her forearms against the table "Shoot"

"What did Ward mean when he said you weren't on S.H.I.E.L.D willingly?" Skye asked

Hayley didn't answer, looking away "Is that all?"

"No" Skye answered "But I thought that would be a good ice-breaker" she chuckled awkwardly

Hayley smiled looking down

"So, are you here on S.H.I.E.L.D because you really want to, Agent Collins?" Skye pressed

Hayley looked up "Not exactly"

Skye's eyes widened having not expected a truthful answer "Really? What happened? Why are you here?"

Hayley tilted her head aside, chuckling "You are noisy for sure"

Skye stuttered slightly "Yeah, well. I am curious"

Hayley shook her head "It's okay. It doesn't matter" she told her, looking down with a faraway expression

Skye noticed her expression "It does if it affects you that much, you know?"

Hayley looked up, staying silent

"I mean. It really isn't necessary a body language reader to see it's a sore subject and I can tell that did a number on you"

"Not really Skye. If all, I'm the one to blame" Hayley replied sighing. Skye looked at her confused "I did some damage before S.H.I.E.L.D found me and now I'm paying for it"

"What damage?" Skye asked, slightly hesitant.

Hayley looked at her "I don't think you'll want to know" she told her quietly.

"Okay" Skye told her "So you're paying the damage becoming an agent? Why is that bad?'

Hayley chuckled bitterly "It's not the job itself, Skye. As you can tell, being a S.H.I.E.L.D agent isn't that bad. Look at Fitz and Simmons by example. Or Coulson" she shrugged "Is how the system works what I don't like. The reason why I am known as the Rebel Agent"

Skye winced "Yeah. I've seen it first hand" she pointed out "But what does it mean to you?"

Hayley scrunched her nose "Remember I told you I did some damage and I am paying for them by working as an Agent?"

Skye nodded "Yeah"

Hayley sighed "That wasn't how I was going to pay initially. Coulson advocated for me saying I would make a good asset by joining the agency. If it weren't by him being the Director's favorite I wouldn't be here"

Skye looked engrossed into what she was told "How were you gonna pay for the damage then?"

Hayley tilted her head aside with a pointed look

Skye realized, shocked "Jail?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D calls it the Fridge" Hayley told her "I was given a one-way ticket to it if it weren't by Coulson. He got responsible for me and my training since the beginning. He became my S.O" she smiled slightly

"That's why you respect Coulson more than the others" Skye realized

"I owe Coulson my liberty" Hayley told her "Though if you see it this way, I wasn't given that much. Mission over here and over there for the past few years. Trust me when I say joining this team is a stress relief. I get much more freedom now because Coulson is cool"

Skye smiled in agreement "Yeah"

Hayley looked at her wrist watch "I don't think you're done with your questions. Are you?" She raised an eyebrow

Skye smiled sheepishly "Well. I had just one more but now I have another. Like what did you do to get a free ticket to Jail?"

Hayley turned serious "It wasn't a free ticket, Skye. When you get a ticket to jail it is never free. Now, I'll be honest and tell you that if you didn't accept Coulson's offer to become a consultant you would have been given the second choice. Jail. Because you're a Rising Tide Member" she said bluntly

Skye looked at her startled

"The difference between you and me? Jail would have been an alternative choice. For me, jail was the first. You're lucky it was Coulson and not the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D himself giving you the sentence"


	14. Chapter 13

_**HAYLEY**_ walked out of her bunker on the plane, glancing over the window she sees the dark sky.

Her walk to the lab got interrupted by voices coming from Coulson's office.

" _Are you worried about her safety or her royalty?_ " She heard Coulson's voice and after a second she rolled her eyes, immediately figuring out who he was talking about and with who.

She quietly opened the door, leaning against the door

"Both" Ward answered without hesitation "The Rising Tide is the reason she got herself and Collins an invite. Whom as a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent she shouldn't have done so" Hayley rolled her eyes "Who knows how many protocols Skye has violated"

"You're too harsh on her" Hayley made her presence known. Coulson didn't look surprised to see her there. Ward raised an eyebrow, skeptical before rolling his eyes "Now, you know why Coulson offered her a job. I understand it. You should as well, I mean. Boss' orders and all that crap" she shrugged slightly. Coulson chuckled. "And I understand as well that that's not the reason you're angry. Something is bothering you and I saw it yesterday" she added, crossing her arms

Coulson looked at Ward, curious.

Ward sighed, starting pacing

"She's holding back, Sir" Ward told them. Hayley nodded in agreement "She says she wants to be an agent but she also won't commit"

"I noticed that, too" Hayley quipped, looking between Ward and Coulson "That is what my comment from before was about. That she wasn't ready for being an agent, not that she wasn't ready to hear neither Ward's defining moment or mine. I've gone through this too. She needs to stop making jokes and take this seriously" she said with a heavy sigh. She looked at Coulson "Kinda like you made me to"

Ward looked between Coulson and Hayley, raising his eyebrows in realization "You were her S.O?"

Hayley crossed her arms "Don't sound too surprised" she told him sarcastically

Coulson chuckled, looking at Ward "Skye's kinda like how Collins was before. Harshness and snapping won't work in her"

Hayley nodded

"So then what with help?" Ward asked them, frustrated

Hayley and Coulson exchanged a knowing look as Coulson walked around his desk, siting in front of it.

"Stop thinking like an operative" Coulson told him "Start thinking like a person. Maybe Skye will let that person help her"

"Help her what?" Ward asked

Hayley smirked slightly "Help her think like an operative" she answered. She started backing away "Worked with me" she shrugged with a tiny smile before leaving Coulson's office

~8~

Hayley was watching Skye and Ward train on the garage of the bus on top of the stairs, having her elbows on the railing, leaning forward slightly, profiling both of them while Ward taught Skye a few movements

Her nose scrunched up in annoyance once she noticed Ward's tense posture knowing he got annoyed by Skye. _Again_.

It wasn't even necessary use her entire knowledge to figure it out what he felt about Skye. Distrust, hate and reluctance to open up to her. And Skye? Something was holding her back, not making her take things seriously as she still couldn't comprehend the severity of becoming an Agent. Hayley knew only with her defining moment she would.

Hayley sighed in slight annoyance, straightening up and walking away

~8~

The team was on the conference room to talk about their plan

"Skye and Collins will walk in the front door" Coulson told them "The only external access point to Quinn's underground facility is from a beach cove" He explained walking to a big screen showing blue prints "A two-man extraction team could slip in there, but it's not easy. Fitz-Simmons"

Fitz walked to the big screen "The perimeter is surrounded by a 20-foot-high neodymium laser grid. Touch it and you're toast"

"Dead toast" Coulson agreed "The only way to disable the grid is to crack the system and trigger a reboot. This would give the team three seconds to cross. Of course, Quinn's too smart to allow any wireless access on his property"

Hayley and Skye exchanged a look

"That's where I come in" Skye told them after Hayley's nod

Simmons nodded, walking to a case and opening it, pulling two compact makeup mirrors and handing one to Skye and the other to Hayley "Yes, working compact ... holds up under x-ray"

"Desert rose to match your complexion" Fitz told them. Skye smiled. He grabbed the compact makeup mirror, showing it to her "But, oh, what's this?" He opened it, showing five red lines appear in the mirror "A readout, okay? Turns green if you're in close enough proximity to a computer to gain wireless access"

"When it does, you just drop this nearby and walk out" Simmons told Skye "We'll do the rest. Easy as pie"

"Or it will be if you stick to the plan" Ward told her

Hayley rolled her eyes, turning to face Skye, reassuringly "Don't worry okay? I've got your back. I'll protect you if needed"

Skye relaxed slightly "Got it" she nodded and bit her lip anxiously "Plan, green, drop, walk... pie"

~8~

The next morning, the plane flew over the Republic of Malta.

A taxi pulled up in front of Quinn's estate and both Skye and Hayley walked out of it. Both wearing fancy dresses. Skye a pink dress with her hair curled and Hayley with a dark blue dress and her wavy hair in a half-up half-down style.

They exchanged a look, walking up forward to the front door

Once inside, they walked among the midst of guests, seeing people milling about with drinks in their hands talking in low tones.

A waitress passed the girls with a tray of Champagne and they both grabbed a glass, smiling politely

The waitress walked away

Skye and Hayley walked deeper into the party, taking all the view sipping the drink

"This is beautiful" Skye commented lowly

Hayley chuckled "And you haven't seen Paris yet" she smirked making Skye chuckle as they walked forward.

A voice behind them stopped them from walking "Who are you?"

Skye and Hayley turned around to face an older man. A young man walked toward them, an apologetic expression on his face "Oh, apologizes for his manners. He knows very little English"

Hayley shook her head slightly, a smile plastered on her face "It's okay" she said smoothly "I'm Hayley" she shook the Young Man's hand, politely

However, Skye stammered "Oh, that, uh, that's... what... whatever" she waved the young man's apology, extending her hand to the older man to shake "Skye"

The young man smiled at Hayley "I'm Jonah. I'm kind of his translator" he chuckled softly.

Hayley smiled. "Nice to meet you" Hayley told him

The older man slowly grasped Skye's hand shaking it "Qasim Zaghlul"

"Big fan" Skye smiled "You built half of Dubai, including the Arabian blade. I love that building. It's super sci-fi. Where's your wife..."

 _"Wife's name's Nadrah_ " May spoke through their earpiece

"..Nadrah?" Skye smiled as Hayley and Jonah exchanged awkward smiles.

 _"Twin sons"_

"She staying at home with the boys?" Hayley asked smiling slightly. Jonah shook his head with a slight smile, wrapping an arm around Zaghlul, squeezing his shoulder

Hayley and Skye smiled at them after socializing.

"We should split up" Hayley suddenly told Skye as she watched Jonah walking away from Zaghlul

"What?" Skye questioned, confused

"I think I may be onto something" Hayley answered. Skye pursed her lips, feeling slightly nervous and anxious for being left alone. Hayley noticed "Hey, look at me Skye" she placed her hands on Skye's shoulders. "You're gonna do great. Just don't get nervous and if you get stuck at something just improvise. Beside we have our team in our ears right now. They won't let you screw up"

"Reassuring" Skye murmured sarcastically

"I'll give you an advice" Hayley ignored her sarcasm, "Don't be obvious you're looking for something" she gave her a pointed look, making Skye awkwardly stop glancing around "The point of this mission is to go undercover and find information discreetly without giving away you're doing so. Otherwise you'll look suspicious and that makes your work harder and places a target on your back. Mingle around, get to meet people but always use your peripheral view to scan your surroundings for any threats. Take this as _Hayley's how to do a good spy job without screwing up: 101._ Got it?"

Skye slowly nodded, reassured "Okay" she breathed, slightly amused on how she named her training

"I'll be online at every moment if you need help. Don't hesitate"

Skye nodded sighing.

Hayley nodded and dropped her hands, backing away from a still slightly nervous Skye and walked away

Skye gulped and sighed smiling slightly when someone approached her

~8~

Hayley walked around a hallway, looking around making sure she was alone. She reached a door, turning on the knob, frowning when she realized it was locked

"If you're looking for your friend. She isn't around"

Hayley looked around, freezing for a second seeing Ian Quinn himself walking to her

"Excuse me?" Hayley asked confused

"I don't remember seeing you on the guest list" Quinn chuckled slightly "And I met a woman earlier. Skye. Said she crashed my party along with someone. Both Members of the Rising Tide. I never knew you people ' _hacked'_ together"

Hayley's expression remained stoic, only smiling at Quinn "I can assure you it was pure coincidence meeting on our way here. She has her own agenda. I have mine"

"Find more big secrets to show the world, huh?" Quinn asked smiling "I am a fan of your work"

Hayley's smile widened "Thank you"

"You know? I think we're alike. Me and you, hackers-"

"I prefer the term hacktivist if you don't mind, Mr Quinn" Hayley told him, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear

"Right. My bad" Quinn chuckled "I like what you do, you know? More freedom of information, less government infringing on everyone's rights"

Hayley's expression wavered a bit but still smiled "That explains my crashing to the party. I don't like information being hidden from people when it could endanger their lives" she was being completely honest with that

"I completely agree with you..." Quinn smiled expectantly

"Hayley" she smiled shaking his hand

"Lovely name. Now, I must return. Feel free to meet other guests, I'm sure you could find something interesting to write about" Quinn joked making her let out a small laugh "But please, stay away from these places. I may like having a Rising Tide member around but I do like privacy and I like having limits on how much ground I let hackers go. No offense of course"

Hayley flashed Quinn a tight close lipped smile "Of course, I wouldn't want to betray your hospitality like that, Mr Quinn"

Quinn smiled slightly and then walked away

Hayley waited for a few seconds after making sure she was alone and leaned her back against the wall breathing a sigh of relief

 _"Agent Collins?"_

"That was close" she murmured to herself and to Simmons on her earpiece, before looking up and facing the door, opening it successfully.

Hayley smiled and looked over her shoulder walking inside.

She shoved her hand to her purse pulling out a compact makeup mirror. Both Skye and her had one in case of splitting up.

~8~

Hayley walked around a few hallways with the mirror opened seeing the lines where still red, meaning there was no signal over there

 _"Where the hell is Collins_?" May's voice suddenly voice sounded through her earpiece making her stop abruptly.

 _"I heard her talking to Quinn 15 minutes ago but after that, nothing_ " Simmons replied to May.

" _Her earpiece is still working_ " Fitz told them after a few seconds

"I'm here" Hayley murmured to herself, knowing they'll hear her

 _"Oh! There you are!"_ Simmons told her, relieved

 _"Skye's in a situation_ " May informed her.

Hayley cursed under her breath, accelerating her pace once she heard that. She heard steps walking closer from behind her and whirled around, looking surprised seeing Jonah walking toward her with a smirk

"Knew there was something shady about you the moment I laid my eyes on you and your friend" Jonah told her

Hayley raised her chin, defiantly "Not the only one"

Jonah clicked his tongue, tilting his head aside "Whatever you're looking for you're not gonna find it here. I always knew never to trust a Rising Tide member"

Hayley didn't move an inch.

"But you aren't a Rising Tide member, are you?" Jonah asked in knowing amusement.

Hayley didn't answer, looking at him expressionless.

Jonah smiled "No. You're trained. I've seen those qualities on other people before..." he trailed off with a smirk, reaching to both her ears, swiftly grabbing her earpiece

Hayley raised her arms, swatting his arms from her head making him throw her earpiece away and raised her leg, kicking him on the stomach making Jonah double over and she used the moment to punch him in the face.

Jonah swiftly caught her wrist before it punched his face, twisting it over her back but Hayley dropped into her knees, tugging him down with her and she rolled over the floor making him let go of her wrist, not caring she was wearing a dress.

Hayley stood in a crouch as Jonah lunged at her, she caught his wrist as he tried to punch her and spun toward him, ending with her back to his chest as she elbowed his stomach and then his face letting him go and then running over a few hallways, finally turning around in a corner

"Hayley?"

Hayley turned around at the surprised voice, seeing both Skye and Quinn siting together on a couch in Quinn's office

"Mr. Quinn" Hayley said politely managing to steady her breathing, giving Skye a discreet questioning look.

Skye didn't react

"Didn't I tell you to not come inside?" Quinn frowned unhappily, standing up

"Yeah, but I wanted to get a glimpse behind your-"

"No, I get this. Too much for having only met today before coming here, isn't it?" Quinn told her, raising a hand and looking between Skye and Hayley. He pointed at Skye "She used the same excuse. You work for S.H.I.E.L.D too, don't you?"

Hayley's eyes flickered to Skye, questionably

Skye sighed, standing up "No use to lie, Hal" she told her, biting her lip. Hayley barely tilted her head at the nickname "He knows. He knows S.H.I. sent us here _unwillingly_ "

Hayley masked her realization as she looked back at Quinn away from Skye's pointed look

Now, time to play along

"Is it true?" Quinn demanded to know, frowning

Hayley briefly closed her eyes, her whole body relaxing "Yes"

Quinn softened a bit, looking between her and Skye "What happened? S.H.I.E.L.D got to you?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D picked me up in L.A" Skye told him, siting down again. Hayley and Quinn doing the same. Hayley rather reluctantly "I helped them in a crisis and now they want to recruit me" she told him. Skye looked at Hayley, sympathetically "Hayley... She's been forced to work with them for a few years now and if she doesn't cooperate she got threatened to be sent to jail. What about that?" Skye scoffed rolling her eyes

"I'm sorry for lying, Mr Quinn" Hayley knitted her eyebrows together in sadness "But I had them on my ear all this time... Same for Skye. They were monitoring each of our movements"

Skye sighed nodding slowly

Quinn looked between them, seeing their expressions and scoffed

"Of course they did" Quinn told them

"So we played along" Skye continued "Talk about inside info. We have a bunk on their plane. I've been gathering intel, biding my time until I could become useful. I thought this qualified. Hayley has been doing the same for over a couple of years and began helping me"

"Why would they trust you with a covert operation like this?" Quinn looked at them suspiciously

Hayley tilted her head aside, "Because S.H.I.E.L.D can't break international laws" she answered. She pointed at Skye "She's no Agent so that's why she could come. I am someone they trust and they trained me as a specialist in undercover missions, hence why I'm here"

Skye nodded in agreement


	15. Chapter 14

_**SKYE, HAYLEY AND QUINN**_ were talking on Quinn's office

Quinn was standing on the window.

Skye looked at him skeptical "You're saying they wanted to rope me in because I pose a genuine threat?" She glanced at Hayley frowning in slight hurt when Quinn wasn't looking at them

Hayley looked down thoughtful not meeting her gaze.

"Yes, and fit their profile" Quinn nodded looking back at them, noticing Hayley's silence

"Profile?" Hayley looked up tilting her head in curiosity

Quinn smiled, "Sure. She's a criminal" He looked at Skye "She has a warrant somewhere" He tilted his head and pointed at Hayley "I wouldn't be surprised if you have a warrant as well"

Hayley tilted her head, looking away.

Skye scoffed "Probably"

Quinn looked between them "Specialized skill set"

"I try to stay humble but fail" Skye told him

"No family"

Skye licked her lips, not having a comment for that.

Hayley looked up, lips pursed in a thin line.

Quinn frowned seeing the reaction from both of them "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit a nerve, but that is what these people do" He looked between them "S.H.I.E.L.D" he leaned closer "They prey on fear and loneliness and desperation, and then they offer a home to those who have no one else to turn to. I can offer you something better"

Hayley looked at him skeptically

Skye looked away.

Quinn looked between them "Both of you" He looked at Hayley "Your friend being free to write anything she proposes to without a worry from S.H.I.E.L.D and you... You could use the abilities they taught you against them. Show them what they created"

Hayley and Skye exchanged a look.

~8~

"You stay with us, there's no secrets, no lies and no agenda" Quinn told them. "You're free to do what you do without big brother watching over you" he promised "But first, you have to tell me exactly what agenda S.H.I.E.L.D. sent you in here with"

Quinn walked to them, siting next to them

"Well, they wanted us to do whatever it takes to get in here" Skye answered, opening her purse pulling out the compact mirror looking at herself in the mirror seeing the red lines on the left side of the mirror

"Get in here and...?" Quinn looked between them, expectantly

The lights suddenly turned green

Hayley looked up smiling "Bat our eyes" she said smiling slightly. Skye snapped close the compact, setting it on the table "Get you talking"

Hayley and Skye exchanged a smug smile, looking back at Quinn

~8~

Quinn was looking between the girls

"No, you can't be the only angle" Quinn told them "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s thorough enough to know about me and my exploits. It takes more than two pretty faces to disarm me" he looked at Hayley "What's their move? You know them better"

Hayley smirked, staying silent

A man entered the room "Sir, we have a security breach"

Quinn stood up, quickly

Hayley smiled at that, chuckling "Oh, the timing on that was perfect, wasn't it, Skye?"

Hayley stood up and walked across the room, smiling at Quinn smugly

"Oh, yeah" Skye smiled, standing up "Almost like a TV drama show"

Quinn sighed in realization, picking up the compact mirror giving it a look before breaking it in half, tossing the rest of the mirror away. He glanced between the two women, patting the other man's chest, pulling out his gun and pointing at Skye

Hayley eyed the gun cautiously, looking up at Quinn

~8~

Quinn pushed Skye against a wall with one hand holding her neck.

Hayley took a step forward.

Quinn noticed, raising his gun to Skye's forehead making her stop abruptly.

Hayley sighed, briefly rolling her eyes feeling a gun in her own head. She looked over her shoulder seeing a man holding a gun to her head before looking back forward, crossing her arms. A bored expression covered her features, though she couldn't help but look at Skye with slight worry

"Don't you get it?" Quinn told Skye "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s against everything you stand for. They're the reason you can't be free" he glanced at Hayley. Hayley glared at him "They're big brother"

"Maybe, but they're the nice big brother who stands up for his helpless little brother when he's getting beat up because he ate a piece of cake that he wasn't ..." Skye rambled

Quinn looked lost

"Skye..." Hayley couldn't help back an amused smile. Skye looked at her "Not the time"

Skye agreed, looking back at Quinn "You know, you kidnapped a person" she scolded him

Hayley chuckled, not feeling bothered nor threatened by a gun on her head

Quinn frowned upset, releasing Skye and taking a few steps away from her

"I set him free! I saved him!" Quinn exclaimed "And I could've saved you"

Skye massaged her neck, giving him a look

Hayley rolled her eyes

~8~

The ground below them shook slightly causing Skye, Hayley, Quinn and the man to loss their balance for a second

Quinn looked between Hayley and Skye, getting more upset by the second "Tell me what they're doing!"

Both remained silent. Hayley expressionless. Skye slightly scared

Quinn lowered his voice, noticing they wouldn't talk if he was being rude, forcing himself to sound calm "Tell me what they're doing. You have to talk. You have no other way out of this." He laughed, raising up his gun aiming at Skye's head again. Hayley tried to step froward but the man behind her pointed his gun at her head again, causing her to roll her eyes "You're expendable to S.H.I.E.L.D. they sent you in here with nothing"

Skye used the move Ward taught her, disarming Quinn from his gun, aiming it at him "They taught me a few things"

Hayley smirked proudly

"Kid's got balls" The man holding the gun to Hayley's head told them

Hayley pulled a disgusted expression

"Thanks, but... yuck" Skye pulled a disgusted expression. She glanced at Hayley worriedly.

Hayley smiled calmly, looking at her reassuringly

"But, do you have what it takes to pull the trigger?" Quinn asked Skye

Skye looked up, nervously. Eyes slightly wide

"Are you willing to let your friend die?" Quinn asked smugly

Hayley frowned feeling the pressure of the gun in her forehead. She sighed and with a quick movement startling the man behind her, she grabbed his hand holding the gun and twisted it, making him drop the gun, spinning around him, ending behind him with his arm twisted at his back. Hayley nodded at Skye

Skye smiled, looking at Quinn "Nope" she answered. She dropped the gun and ran toward the balcony doors and leaped off balcony into a pool below

Hayley kicked the man in his back sending him to the floor. She turned to face Quinn, raising her eyebrows smugly

Quinn looked past Hayley's shoulder to another man "Get her" he looked back at Hayley "I'll deal with this one"

Hayley smirked


	16. Chapter 15

**_HAYLEY_** smirked facing Quinn

Quinn scowled and tried to punch Hayley. Hayley ducked to make him miss, punching him in the face and kicking his stomach making him stumble backwards.

Quinn straightened up, standing in a fighting position.

Hayley looked at him calmly.

The room shook making them fall

Hayley looked around seeing two pens starting to lift off the floor, confused. She frowned in confusion looking down before looking up at Quinn

Quinn looked slightly panicked, understanding what was happening "Hall. We have to evacuate. Get the chopper. Now!" He stood up, walking past Hayley as she stood up, slowly "This is isn't over" he pointing at her, walking away, running out of the room

Hayley looked around worriedly, running out of the room

~8~

Hayley was running outside, her heels on her hands as she rushed past the screaming people. She looked around finding Skye being cornered by three men.

Hayley ran toward Skye, using her heels as a weapon as she started fighting the men. She spun around Man 1, kicking him in the leg from behind making him fall, hitting the side of his head with her heel, grabbing his head and slamming it to the ground making him fall unconscious. Hayley tossed her heels aside, turning to face Man 2 and 3, who were dragging Skye away toward another direction and she lunged toward them. Man 3 let go of Skye to punch Hayley in the face. Hayley caught his wrist tugging it down and punching his face with her other hand, elbowing him in the face and kicking his stomach letting go of his wrist, making him fall backwards. Man 2 let go of Skye and tried to punch Hayley twice. Hayley raised both hands to block the moves, punching him in the face, making him fall. Man 3 stood, running toward Hayley, trying to punch her. Hayley caught his wrist, punching him in the face, kicking him in his chest making him fall. She turned around sensing Man 2 coming from behind her, spinning around punching him in the head harshly making him fall unconscious. Man 3 tried to kick her. Hayley blocked the move raising her arm, punching Man 3 in the face, grabbing his arm and flipping him over toward the ground and slamming his head on the ground making him fall unconscious, looking up breathing heavily noticing Ward walking to her offering his hand to her.

Hayley accepted his hand, letting him pull her up to her feet

Skye walked to them

Ward looked at Hayley and Skye "Are you hurt?"

Skye shook her head 'no', looking frightened

Hayley sighed in relief "Good. Cause that was a quite big fall" she told her. She looked at Ward breathlessly "Remind me next time there's an undercover mission to wear something appropriate to fight"

Ward fought back a small smile, shaking his head "Just follow my lead. I'll get us out of here" Ward told them, grabbing Skye's hand and lead the way out.

Hayley followed behind them

~8~

Ward led both Skye and Hayley to an underground lab, peering over a small window on the door toward inside seeing Coulson and Dr. Hall talking.

"They won't understand the good I did here" Hall told Coulson

Coulson glanced at the door, noticing both agents and Skye, not saying anything returning his gaze back at Hall

"Killing innocent people?" Coulson asked

Hall looked insulted "Saving millions" he corrected him "We have to live with the choices we make, but sometimes we have to die with them, too"

Coulson lowered his gun.

"I understand" Coulson told him "You made a hard call"

"Yes." Hall told him

"And now I have to make mine" Coulson told him

Coulson aimed his gun to the window below them, a window leading directly to a device. A bigger version of Gravitonium device they had found on Colorado. He shot his gun to the window and once it broke, Coulson jumped managing to grab a wire hanging abound his head.

Hall wasn't too lucky, falling through the broken window directly to the device. A undulating black mass enveloped him in slow motion eventually covering his body and face.

Once Hall got completely covered in the device, everything in the room fell into its proper place as the gravity returned back to normal. (Including Coulson)

Skye, Hayley and Ward entered the room, looking down at Coulson

Coulson looked up at them silently

All of them looked through the broken window toward where the device was calm again

~8~

It was night. The team was already in the bus.

Coulson was looking over a security footage, making sure the Gravitonium device was put under lock where no one could reach it to use it again

"Say it to me again" Coulson told a Young Agent.

The Young agent was looking at the screen toward Coulson, who was in his office from the Bus

Hayley, now in change of clothes was watching from behind Coulson, her eyes locked into the device in the screen which was pulled into a truck to take it away.

Once the young agent spoke, she sucked in a breath " _Deepest level of the fridge, unmarked vault, no access granted"_

Hayley wouldn't admit it out loud but the thought of the Fridge scared the crap out of her

"And no record entry, I don't want this listed. I don't want it flagged for the slingshot" Coulson told him "Anyone find out you're responsible, and suffering, understood?"

The young agent nodded " _Yes, sir"_

"That's what Hall would've wanted" Coulson murmured. There was a beep of the feed cutting out and he turned around to his desk, sighing. He picked up his gun, looking down at it in confusion

"I used to have this down" Coulson told to himself. He started trying to disarm his gun, not having such luck "Should be just muscle memory"

"You're getting old" Hayley teased making her presence known, though Coulson already knew she was there.

He knew she liked to profile the situation before talking. _Evaluate the risk_ before having a conversation.

After all he did trained her for the most part

Coulson looked up seeing the troubled expression on the brunette's face even though she tried to hide it

"No, I'm just a little rusty. That's all" he smiled briefly. Hayley chuckled, her smile not reaching her eyes. Coulson's lips tugged down, a frown forming "What is it?" He asked, putting down his gun on his desk, walking around and siting in front of his desk, hands folded on his lap

Hayley uncrossed her arms, her expression sheepish and innocent. "You ask that as if there's something wrong" she told him "There's nothing wrong"

Coulson frowned "May told me what happened before you and Skye made your little move of retreating your earphones, by the way that wasn't part of the plan" He told her.

Hayley made a face "Firstly, I didn't take it off. Someone did when I was looking for Skye" she told him "And besides, Skye took away her own, I didn't make her do so. It was her own idea, I just followed with her plan to make it look convincing" Coulson nodded briefly, tilting his head aside. Looking at him, Hayley realized it wasn't the reason he was asking her "But you're not mad because of that"

Coulson sighed softly "I know what you think of S.H.I.E.L.D. You've been honest with me about it all the time"

Hayley gnawed on her cheek, walking toward a chair in front of him and siting there, knowing where this was going

"Well, it's the truth. I mean, I'll never gonna like S.H.I.E.L.D from one day to the other and you know that. I have my reasons to hate this place"

"You hate the system" Coulson corrected

Hayley rolled her eyes with a frustrated sigh "I certainly don't like the way they manage some situations. They treat people not cooperating with them like crap. I'm an example of that. That's the reason I like you. You treat me like a human being"

Coulson smiled briefly, sighing "And other agents don't" he told her.

Hayley looked away, sighing "I'm human like them. Not because I'm slightly different they have the right to treat me like an O-8-4" Hayley shot him a look

"That's one of the reasons why I wanted you on my team" Coulson told her. Hayley looked up surprised "To give you some break from the judging eyes of others. I don't want you to feel like you've been forced to be here" Hayley grimaced slightly, knowing he had heard her talking with Skye the night prior "Yes, I heard you and Skye talking last night. I'm sorry"

"Well, the cat's out of the bag" Hayley looked at her nails with an humorless chuckle.

Coulson frowned "Hayley. Listen to me. I never thought you were different from us. I told you when we first met that I don't care who you are and what you can do. I don't think you're a bad person who deserves to be treated bad"

Hayley shot him a look

"It's not you, you're the only one I can tolerate, it's everything else" She told him spreading her arms around her to make a point "All stupid S.H.I.E.L.D"

"You're free to be who you really are, Hayley, I know there's something good on you"

Hayley rolled her eyes "Still with that, huh? You haven't change your mind?"

"No, everyone deserves a second change, including you" Coulson smiled at her

Hayley looked up and smiled softly "I knew there was a reason why you were the only SHIELD robot I liked" she told him chuckling

Coulson shook his head, a small smile tugging his lip "You're a dismissed, agent"

Hayley pouted "Seriously? Phil, we were talking like civilized people and then you turn around and return to be a robot?"

Coulson narrowed his eyes, amused "Collins, I'm your superior, I gave you an order"

Hayley tilted her head aside, amused "You know I don't like orders" she crossed her arms defiantly, raising her eyebrows

Coulson chuckled "Please"

Hayley smiled smugly and mocked saluted "As you wish, captain"

"That's Steve Roge-" Coulson stopped at Hayley's amused expression "Of course" he chuckled

Hayley stood up with a wave, turning around walking toward the door and leaving his office, toward her bunker

Phillip Coulson was the only agent in SHIELD that Hayley had liked, respected and tolerated. The only one who never treated her differently even if everyone thought of her as a danger to everyone. Coulson had helped her on a bad situation and that's why she was there, because she felt he owned him and because he was the only Agent she could stand from all the agency. And after those two missions, she could safely say Fitz and Simmons were now her friends and would do whatever to keep them safe. Ward and May were slowly getting the friend's title. May faster than Ward for sure... Hayley still couldn't tell if Ward could be a friend.

Skye was someone she could call a friend now. She had shared things of her life she had never told anyone but Coulson and she felt the woman understood her.

She was starting to think that Hill's idea to join this team wasn't _that_ bad after all.


	17. Chapter 16

_**"Eye-Spy"**_

 ** _THE BUS_** was flying over the clear sky on the way to Sweden for the team's next mission

Coulson walked along a hallway with a purpose in mind. He had already called Agent Ward, May and Fitz-Simmons to gather on the conference room. Only one Agent left and was on his way to meet her

Once he reached the door of her bunker, he pushed the opening button and the door slid open, getting startled slightly by a bottle of water thrown against the wall next to the opened door

Coulson frowned curiously looking between the splashed water and the awkward smiling Agent on the middle of the bunker.

Hayley managed a small awkward wave, cringing at Coulson's expression "Sup, Phil?"

"What would you have done or say if I were someone else?" Coulson asked curiously

Hayley shrugged slightly, tilting her her head aside "A lie probably. I mean, I'm good at that, am I not?"

Coulson seemed to agree and he knelt grabbing the smashed bottle whirled it between his hands "Huh. First time you've struggled in a long time, isn't it?"

Hayley scrunched her nose, pulling a face "Well, as of now I hadn't had the chance. I'm a little rusty as you with your guns" she flashed Coulson a grin siting on her bed.

Coulson tilted his head, giving her a look "Are you sure is only that?"

"I'm not gonna screw up, Phil" Hayley snapped in slight annoyance, crossing her arms

Coulson sighed "I know you won't. I am your O.S, you can not screw up" Hayley rolled her eyes at his attempt to make her feel better, smiling a small smile "I'm just concerned. The last time you lacked of control-"

"I know what happened" Hayley interrupted impatiently "But everything is under control now. Don't worry about me. I'm not gonna threaten S.H.I.E.L.D. You all made it very clear I won't do it or the consequences would be worse than the Fridge" she narrowed her eyes. Coulson sighed shaking his head "What time do we land, sir?" She changed the subject

Coulson frowned for a few seconds before shaking his head, "Not too long. Get ready to stop robbers"

Coulson walked away, out

Hayley rolled her eyes dropping her head to her bed in slight annoyance

~8~

 _ **Subway - Stockholm, Sweden**_

The team had a case about a stolen million of dollars of diamonds at a metro station. This someone had found the way to crack the security systems

May, Hayley, Skye and Coulson were walking down a corridor the subway station that had been robbed

"Yesterday, 25 men, all military, were hired by one of the largest gem brokers in the world" Coulson told them "They dressed the men in identical outfits, gave each one a randomly assigned briefcase, and sent them along 25 different routes here in Stockholm. No one knew which briefcase contained the diamonds" They reached a military man. The military man handed a clipboard toward Coulson. Coulson took the pen, signing the form "But they were still stolen. Tack"

They continued walking along

"Why the Kabuki theater?" May asked

"They were afraid because somebody's targeting diamonds" Coulson answered. They walked into the subway cart where the robbery went down "An armored car in Milan, a safe in Monte Carlo, and now this ... over $30 mil total. Each theft occurred despite heavy security"

Coulson knelt next to a pole

"They sound like inside jobs" May told them

"A lot of people share that opinion" Coulson told them

Hayley narrowed he eyes at Coulson, recognizing the look on his face, pointing at him "But you don't" Coulson shook his head "CCTV cameras catch any of the action?"

"Fitz-Simmons is checking" Coulson told them "The system went dark for an hour" he stood up "They think it was hacked"

"It was the same thieves each time?" Skye asked

"Yes, but it was just one thief" Coulson answered "A woman. And she did it with her eyes closed"

Hayley looked at Coulson curiously

"Eyewitnesses I.D. her?" May asked

"Black, athletic build, late 20s, early 30s" Coulson answered

Hayley furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully

"So, you asked how she could have cracked the system" Skye asked "I have a pitch, but it's way outside the box"

"I live outside the box" Coulson told her

Skye raised her eyebrows "There are people in the world with superpowers, right?" She asked. "What if this woman has ESP or something?"

"There are no credible studies that support precognition, telepathy, or extrasensory perception" May told them

"Okay, so science says no." Skye told them "But this woman knew impossible things. And why did she close her eyes? That's either random or totally important. Was she listening... or was she reading minds?" Coulson and May stared at her unamused

Hayley tilted her head aside, eyes slightly narrowed

Skye became slightly uncomfortable with how they were looking at her "I'm gonna go play with my phone now" she held up her phone slyly and sat down on of the seats in the train, starting to play on her phone

Hayley looked at Coulson, curiously "Why does H.Q. want us to investigate these heists?"

"They don't" Coulson told them "I picked this op" Hayley frowned. May shot him a look. Coulson looked at Skye "Any luck?"

"Yep, I'm getting full bars, which means if I was down here and 25 guys were in scary red masks, you know what I would do?" She stood up, showing them her phone "Instagram"

The agents walked closer, looking down at Skye's phone looking at a picture of a man with a red mask

~8~

On the plane, Coulson, May, Hayley and Skye were on Coulson's office

"It's amazing. Every year, this part of our job gets easier" Coulson told them holding a tablet on his hands, sliding through various photos of men with red masks "Between Facebook, Instagram, and Flickr, people are surveilling themselves"

"With many filters to choose from," Skye told them "I could do this pretty well when I was hacking for the Rising Tide, but you guys tag and search in ways the rest of us never dreamed of"

Hayley frowned in recognition once Coulson stopped in a photo.

"I can run facial-recognition software on the photos, cross-reference them with our criminal databases" May told them

"You don't have to" Hayley told them, zooming on the photo of Coulson's tablet showing a woman.

Coulson nodded with a sigh "That's the thief. Her name's Akela Amador"

"You're certain?" May asked looking between Coulson and Hayley

"I should be" Coulson answered. Hayley shook her head, denial on her face "I trained her" he looked back at Hayley

"No" Hayley murmured, frowning sighing

~8~

Coulson, May, Skye and Hayley walked out of Coulson's office

Hayley seemed to be in denial about Amador being alive and a criminal

"Akela Amador was a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent" Coulson told them "Seven years ago, she led a raid on one of Vanchat's gulags" he lead them toward the spiral staircase "Everyone believed that she and the two other agents on the mission were killed. I had my doubts. So I sent in a second team, just in case" They came across the living room "They found a lot of carnage but couldn't confirm that any of it was Amador, left the possibility open"

May looked at him in realization "That's why you chose this op. When you heard about the heists"

They stopped and turned around to face May

Coulson shrugged "There are only a few women in the world who could pull off something so impossible" Coulson looked between Hayley and May "Since you two are on the bus, I thought it had to be her"

Coulson headed into the conference room, Skye, May and Hayley following meeting Ward inside

"Swedish customs confirmed that Amador left the country using an alias on a Swedish passport" Ward informed them, pulling up on a screen the information he had gathered "She flew into Belarus, bought a train ticket to a town called Zloda. I've also put together a list of individuals who could fence that many diamonds. There's been no contact or activity"

"Maybe she's saving them for a rainy day, buying something special. Let's focus on finding Amador" Coulson told them

"I'll let H.Q. know she's alive so they can assist with the manhunt" May told them.

Coulson shook his head "I'd like to hold off on that"

The two female agents and Skye gave him a questioning look "Until we know more. Contact Belarus authorities. Find us a place to park the bus" Coulson turned to Ward "Put together a list of inns, hotels, and pensions near Zloda. There can't be that many of them. We'll find her"

May and Ward shared a look, walking out of the room.

Hayley leaned against the doorframe looking down, thoughtful

"I'm not so special after all" Skye told him

Coulson turned to look at Skye, curiously

"I'm not your first protégée" Skye explained. Hayley looked up raising an eyebrow, "Well, I already knew that. Hayley told me you were her S.O.-"

"Yeah. You're not so special" Hayley told her slightly smirking, her mind not exactly on their conversation "But Akela was a great friend. Taught me some things as well as Coulson did"

"That's why your 101 on how not to screw up as an agent worked for me on Malta, huh?" Skye smirked. She looked at Coulson's expression and chuckled "Relax. I'm teasing. I know I'm not a protégée. Hell I'm not even a real, life S.H.I.E.L.D Agent yet"

"You two couldn't be more different from Akela" Coulson told them. He looked at the screen, putting up Amador's S.H.I.E.L.D ID "Amador was smart, talented, fearless"

Skye pursed her lips, not quite believing Coulson.

Hayley showed no reaction

"Wow. There's nothing in common with me" Skye told him

Coulson looked at Skye, smiling a small smile "Let me finish. She didn't play well with others, found little value in teamwork" Coulson turned back to the screen, sighing "I thought I could instill those qualities in her, so I pushed her... maybe too hard"

Hayley pursed her lips looking thoughtful

"Don't blame yourself because this chick went to the dark side" Skye told him, also glancing at Hayley "Whatever path she went down, whatever weird stuff she got into, it's on her"

Skye gave them a last look and walked away, out of the room


	18. Chapter 17

**_Zloda, Belarus_**

The team was here the next morning.

Ward was driving a white van

Coulson was in the passenger seat

Skye, Simmons, Hayley and Fitz were in the backseat

"How exciting. I've dreamed of visiting Zloda since I was a schoolgirl" Simmons told them, smiling

Fitz shot her a look "Zloda, Belarus? A dream come true? Really?"

Simmons' smile faltered a bit "It's the birthplace of Nobel physicist Zhores Alferov! I mean, technically, he's from Vitebsk, but that's less than an hour from here, and I'm a bit disappointed that you didn't know that"

"Well, no, of course I know who that is, father of heterostructure transistors, thank you very much" Fitz told her. Ward looked behind his shoulder, confused. Hayley and Skye were confused as well but more amused than anything "We're all well aware of that. I'm just a little bit preoccupied. Our first and only other time in the field wasn't exactly a picnic, was it?"

"You guys are only here to search for Amador electronically" Coulson reassured them "You won't even need to leave the van"

Fitz gave a fist pump at that and Simmons smiled in agreement.

Hayley smiled at them

May's voice come from the radio " _Bus to short bus"_

"Go for short bus" Ward told her

"Next time, I'll decide what we call ourselves, okay?" Coulson told him

Ward looked at Coulson, lifting his hand with a ' _What's wrong with the name?'_ look

 _"H.Q. has requested a status update"_

"What'd you tell them?" Coulson asked

" _That we're tracking a potential suspect... nothing more"_

"I owe you one" Coulson told her

" _More like three_ " May told him

Ward slowed down the drive before stopping the van.

Coulson unbuckled his seatbelt "If Amador's here, she'll have to contact her buyer. Scan for cellphone transmissions, encrypted e-mails, anomalous broadcast signatures. Call us if you find anything that indicates her presence" he said opening the door

"Maintain radio silence unless you really need help" Ward told them, opening the door to get out

"Well, what exactly defines needing help?" Fitz asked before Ward could leave.

Coulson and Ward slammed their doors shut, without giving them an answer

Hayley grimaced, shaking her head sliding open the van's door

"Where are you going?" Skye asked

Hayley looked over her shoulder at them "Scoot around. Make sure there's no threat for any of us around here"

Simmons and Fitz exchanged a look

"Okay" Simmons told her

"Alright" Fitz told her

Hayley slid the door close and sighed backing away from the van, fixing her blazer and looking around giving a full turn around, walking backwards

~8~

Hayley walked around the perimeter of where the van was parked and couldn't help but feel all the time she was being watched.

She looked around the street narrowing her eyes "Where are you?" She murmured, glancing at the van where the others were.

Her eyes widened seeing a white van heading straight to them from behind

She pulled out her radio "Skye! All of you get out of the van now!" Hayley exclaimed on it as she ran toward the van, worriedly

" _What? What is it? Does it have to do with the feed of the van coming closer?"_ Skye asked freaked out

"I have no idea. Just get the hell out!" Hayley snapped, stopping in her tracks as the van crashed against the van containing her team

The van backed up preparing to hit her team's van another time. Hayley could see Skye scrambling into the driver's seat, struggling to get the pedals.

Hayley pulled out her gun, moving her gaze to the other van and walking to it, finally getting a good look of Amador

"You're not hurting them" Hayley growled, starting to run toward the van that had taken a good distance as Amador tried to crash them again but Hayley aimed her gun before she could drive and started shooting, successfully getting Amador's attention away from her team.

"Come on, lil' bitch. I'm on your level. Not them" Hayley murmured shooting for the third time, breaking the door's window.

Amador looked back at Hayley and started the car again driving to crash the van, pushing it out of the road but it didn't roll onto its roof and backed away thanks to Hayley's shooting. Amador turned around and drove straight to Hayley.

Hayley managed to shoot her last bullet through the front window, hitting Amador on her shoulder. The shoot making her swerve her car slightly making Hayley duck to the side to avoid being hit and she rolled down on the concrete two times.

Hayley looked up breathing heavily seeing Amador driving away and her gaze shifted back to the van worriedly

 _If she just..._

Hayley closed her eyes and dropped her head onto the concrete, feeling guilty

~8~

May was in the Bus as the team returned back

Hayley couldn't look at either of Skye, Fitz and Simmons in the eyes.

She couldn't help them and she let them get hurt. What kind of a team player did that?

She walked with Fitz and Simmons to the lab, still avoiding eye contact as Coulson and Ward talked about the outcome of the mission.

"Hey. It's not your fault" Simmons had noticed how down Hayley had looked after Amador crashed against them. She didn't want the other agent to feel guilty "No one knew this would happen"

"Yes. You told us to leave the van" Fitz added, agreeing with Simmons "Right before we got attacked"

Simmons nodded

"What good did that do?" Hayley looked up finally. But she was frowning to herself "I mean, I had to make sure there was no threat around the perimeter. I didn't do a good job. You all got hurt"

It was obvious Hayley was beating herself up for Amador having hurt them

"It was Amador's fault" The three agents turned around when they heard Skye speak. She was entering the lab, a determined glint on her eyes "Don't blame yourself. She somehow could tell where we were and she must have known you were there as well and waited for you to be on the other side of the street so you wouldn't stop her. Now we need to recover that data signature and find out how she's doing that" Skye told them, sitting down on a chair in front of a computer starting to type. "Don't beat yourself up for this, Hal. If it weren't for you. We'd probably would have more broken bones" she told Hayley with a reassuring grin

Hayley seemed only slightly reassured as she sighed with a nod.

~8~

Skye was typing on the computer, Fitz-Simmons and Hayley were behind her as she worked on the computer

"Something's wrong. It's the same feed that was watching us in the van" Skye told them. Ward, Coulson and May entered the lab "Uh, put it on the big monitor"

Fitz and Simmons walked over to the monitor as the others turned to it as well.

"M-maybe the lens broke when the van rammed us" Simmons told them

"I hope she broke more than that" Skye mumbled at them

They all watched the screen showing the video feed Skye recovered. At first all they could see was a white mist and then a black hand wiping away the moisture off a mirror, revealing the reflection of a black woman

"It's a mirror" Coulson realized "Are we recording this?"

Skye looked down at her tablet as both her and Coulson got closer to the screen "Uh..." She tapped a few buttons on her tablet. "We are now"

Now the reflection could be seen clearly, revealing Amador being the black woman more visible in the feed

"Whoa" Fitz exclaimed

"How are we seeing this?" Hayley asked frowning "Where's the camera?"

They looked at the camera feed as it showed a box filled with little screwdrivers. Amador picked up one, pulling down the skin of her eye, looking directly at the mirror. She lifted the screwdriver and proceeded to put it in her eye.

Fitz squeezed his eyes shut and looked away.

The others looked bothered as well.

"It's her eye" May answered, "She's the camera"

Hayley gulped and looked down, upset

Amador still on the mirror, blinked. Once she did so, the feed changed into an X-Ray vision. The team saw that Amador had some kind of robotic device in her eye

"It switches to backscatter when she closes her eyes" Fitz explained

Skye looked at Ward "You're a robot, can you do that?"

Ward ignored her and Hayley's sarcastic curious look and briefly closed his eyes, turning to Fitz "Who has tech like this?"

"We don't" Fitz answered. Coulson looked at him "Not like this, that's small and internal. That's at least a decade ahead of anything I've seen. Though now that I've seen it I could maybe approximate it" Simmons looked at him in interest as the others looked around patiently, not understanding his scientific ramblings "The backscatter x-ray, a micro-transceiver that somehow doesn't fry her brain, and internal power source..."

"All miniaturized" Simmons told them "honestly, it's..."

"That's genius" Fitz agreed

Amador opened her eyes, the backscatter x-ray vision disappeared and all looked normal.

"We have to bring her in" Coulson told them

"We have to take her out" May corrected "She's a weapon. I'll call H.Q., see if we can bring a task force in to help us"

May turned around.

Coulson turned to face her, stopping her "Our team can handle this"

Hayley, Simmons, Skye, Fitz and Ward shifted uncomfortably at the tension between May and Coulson.

May walked toward Coulson "I get it. You feel responsible, maybe you pushed her too hard. But she tried to kill four members of our team"

"If she wanted us dead, we'd be dead" Coulson told her

"We got lucky" May told him. "You want to risk our lives again?"

"You told me you were ready for combat, that you had my back" Coulson told her

"Don't ever doubt it" May told him "But you are defending this girl at the expense of the team"

"Because we're protecting our own" Coulson told her

"With all due respect, sir, she's not one of our own" Ward quipped looking between him and all the team

Coulson looked away from May to Ward

Hayley sighed silently, looking away toward the monitor "Guys"

The team followed her gaze.

The camera on Amador's eye showed them that she was writing a message on a piece of paper

 ** _Can I sleep?_**

"Why does she have to ask for permission?" Simmons asked confused

Words appeared on the feed. At the bottom of the camera. **_STAND BY_**

"She's not being watched" Coulson realized "She's being controlled. We have to find her. We'll take shifts watching the feed" May lowered her head a bit, Hayley noticed tilting her head aside curiously seeing the action "Sooner or later she'll look at something that will clue us into her location"

"I'll take the first watch" May told them

Coulson looked at her, nodding slightly and then walked away

May looked at the screen, narrowing her eyes slightly

~8~

Hayley knocked at Coulson's door office, seeing him siting at his desk

"I just wanted to give you an update" Hayley told him when he looked up "She's still at the hotel, so...Well, that's the update. Ish" she chuckled, walking toward the chair in front of his desk "Pretty weird day, don't you think?"

Coulson sighed "What happened with Amador and the van with three members of our team inside and you almost killed with her van..." he trailed off "That should never have happened"

Hayley waved a hand "If Fitz-Simmons and Skye don't blame me for not protecting them properly, then you can't either" she shrugged. Coulson opened his mouth but Hayley cut him off, pointing at him "And trust me, it wasn't as terrible as watching mom and dad fight downstairs"

"That shouldn't have happened either" Coulson replied "But I know something the others don't. All this thing with Akela isn't only getting to me, isn't it?" Hayley didn't answer, looking around avoiding his eyes "You forget I'm the one who taught you to block your emotions from your face. You're upset, after all she was the second person you befriended at S.H.I.E.L.D"

Hayley sighed, shrugging "Well, she was the first one to handle my bitchiness when you first recruited me to S.H.I.E.L.D. and she helped me to not let others get under my skin as well. She taught me to be strong and not give a shit about others. Just like you taught me everything I know. You valued her. Like you valued me. Like _she_ valued me. It had been the first time someone did that after a long time, or what I remember anyway... That's why I always believed you were an excellent judge of character" Coulson managed a small smile "And that's why I'll always get your back. If you think Akela deserves a second chance. So of course she deserves one"

Hayley smiled for the last time and stood up, walking away, out of his office

Coulson was smiling


	19. Chapter 18

**_WHILE EVERYONE_** was sleeping, May had found the hotel Amador had been staying at and went after her alone. Coulson realizing she had gone after Amador and went after them as Fitz woke everyone up. Coulson had stopped Amador, shooting her with a 'night-night' gun to knock her out and bring her her back to the bus.

May had also found out that the camera in Amador's head was also a fail safe, a bomb to kill her if she didn't do as told or if she got caught

So to protect her from the kill switch of her eye, the team had found out a way to highjack the feed and Fitz Simmons had planted a device mimicking Amador's implant on a pair of glasses for Ward to wear so Amador's handler wouldn't know what was going on.

While Skye and Ward were going on Amador's mission that day, Fitz, Simmons, May, Hayley and Coulson were focusing on a way to get the kill switch out of Amador's eye.

Coulson and Hayley were in the same cage room/interrogation room Coulson had placed Amador in.

Coulson was siting in front of Amador

Hayley was in the corner, arms crossed over her chest as they both waited for the woman to wake up

Amador shifted, bringing the agents attention back to her

"Hello, Akela" Coulson greeted calmly as the woman fluttered her eyes open, blinking a couple of times, realizing she was laying on a bed

"You're safe now" Coulson reassured her

Amador gasped, standing on a siting position, breathing heavily trying to regain herself, her back facing both Agents

"Give it a minute" Hayley spoke softly "You were hit with a powerful Dendrotoxin"

Amador shook her head, panicked but not looking surprised to hear the young agent as she had been when she first had seen her when she crashed her truck against the other three.

"There's a kill switch in my eye" Amador told them, sounding panicked "Why hasn't my handler blown it yet?"

"As far as your handler knows, you fought Agent May, you both went down" Coulson told her "Then you got up and left the building to complete your mission"

"How?" Amador asked confused

Hayley smirked "We highjacked your feed"

"One of my agents is wearing a set of glasses mimicking your implant" Coulson added "Right now it's transmitting his point of view as if it was yours. It even has backscatter imaging"

"I get messages from my handler" Amador pointed out

"We're receiving those as well" Hayley replied

Coulson nodded in agreement "My agent's on his way to the Todorov building. Completing your mission while we disable the fail-safe in your eye. I promise. They can't see you. You're okay, Akela" Amador was looking down, avoiding both agents eyes "Look at me" he told her softly

Amador slowly looked up, her eyes still remaining downcast but she finally brought them up to face both Coulson and Hayley

"How long have they been monitoring you?" Hayley asked softly

"Years" Amador answered. Hayley smiled sympathetically

"Why are you doing this, Coulson? Collins?" Amador asked them

"I need to know why a Prox Card is worth $30 million-" Coulson said, Hayley flashing him an amused smile

"No" Amador interrupted him, frowning "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me? Where's the 'I told you so'?"

Coulson sighed "That's not me anymore. I'm just glad you're alive"

Amador looked away.

Hayley knew she could have said something else but knew it was between Coulson and Amador, though she had been on the same mission. One of her first missions

"Vanchat would never have caught us if I'd just done my job. I should have listened to you. Trusted my team the way you insisted" tears filled Amador's eyes "If I had...they might still be alive. You wouldn't have gotten hurt" she looked at Hayley

Both Hayley and Coulson looked at her with sympathy.

~8~

Amador was still talking to Coulson and Hayley

"How did you manage to escape?" Coulson asked her handing her a bottle of water

"I didn't" Amador answered "Got caught in a crossfire, went down. Woke up in some half-assed triage bay, blind in this eye" she pointed to her right eye. "Spent the next four years alone in a cage at the bottom of a copper mine"

"We looked for you" Coulson told her, pointing at himself "Heard rumors you'd been taken to Shanxi Providence"

"When a team finally came, I thought it was S.H.I.E.L.D. at first, but..." Amador trailed off

"Who were they?" Hayley asked

Amador shook her head "Don't know, even to this day. But they were organized. They took me to a clinic. I had multiple surgeries. Until one day, I could see out of both eyes again. I was so grateful, until I realized what they had done"

Coulson nodded slowly "Somebody was watching"

Amador nodded "My every move. I had no idea until they sent the first message. Then the assignments started. Mostly it was 'steal this', 'follow him', 'break into there'. I just tried to ignore them. But when I did I'd get this pain, like an electric migraine"

"The fail-safe" Hayley realized

Amador tilted her head at Hayley "Polite way of putting it" Hayley smirked slightly "Now when I think about my years in the cage...I miss it. I wish I could go back, be alone, sleep in peace"

Amador sipped her water as Coulson leaned closer. "I know you're tired, but I need your help"

Amador raised an eyebrow "If you want information on the Prox Card, you're out of luck"

Hayley chuckled, smirking

Coulson ignored that "You can't go on missions without intel"

"It comes in pieces, a name, an address" Amador told him

~8~

Coulson paced around the room.

Amador's still siting on the bed.

Hayley still on the corner.

Both agents were upset about the lack of information they both getting from Amador.

"Come on, Akela" Hayley told her. Her voice had gone from soft to frustrated "You've never spoken to or met anyone in person?"

"No" Amador answered simply "Only contacts are messages I receive from The Englishman"

Coulson whipped his head up to look at Amador.

"The Englishman – your handler?" Coulson asked "How do you know he's English?"

Hayley leaned forward, interested

Amador shrugged "The way he refers to certain things. He uses 'lift' instead of 'elevator', 'boot' instead of 'trunk'."

Coulson and Hayley exchanged a look. Now they were up to something

"Think about the messages" Coulson told her "What else do you know about him?"

Hayley noticed the shift on Amador. She seemed more determined to remember

"He's late 30s, early 40s" Amador told them "Uses dated references. 'Disc drive' instead of 'flash drive', 'Burma' instead of 'Myanmar'."

"How's his typing?" Hayley asked

Amador tilted her head aside "Clumsy. Makes a lot of mistakes"

"Thick fingers, maybe heavyset." Hayley realized

Amador managed a small smile "I forgot how good you are. When you're up to it. And a good shooter, too" she winced lightly, touching her shoulder.

Hayley and Amador smiled slightly, Hayley sheepish

Simmons' voice came over a speaker in the room. " _Sir, we're ready down here"_

~8~

Coulson and Hayley were now in the lab with Fitz-Simmons, ready for the surgery to remove the implant of her eye

"Ward's on-site so we don't have much time" Coulson told them

"To remove her eyeball" Fitz told them

Simmons pulled a squeamish face at Coulson. "Yeah, ocular surgery is not really my field of expertise"

"We've got no other choice" Coulson told them "There's a kill switch inside Akela. Could be a poison, could be an explosive. Either way, if Ward's caught, they'll kill her instantly"

Coulson started to walk away.

"Where are you going, sir?" Fitz asked.

"To find out who's finger's is on the trigger" Coulson replied, walking away, out of the lab

Hayley licked her lips, sighing "I'll bring Akela" she told them, walking away, out of the lab to the interrogation room

~8~

Hayley brought Amador to the lab and now she was laying on a table. Simmons snapped on a black glove and smiled at Amador, standing above her

"I may need your feedback during the operation" Simmons informed her "Which means I have to inject a local anesthetic into your eye rather than putting you under"

Hayley was watching slightly nervous, thumbnail on between her lips. She also was wearing a lab coat as Fitz and Simmons and glasses, turning on her lights

Amador straightened her head, raising her eyes to the ceiling, slightly relaxing "Whatever's necessary"

"Right" Simmons replied, turning on a light attached to a harness around her head.

Simmons turned to face Fitz, who was standing at the opposite side of the table and nodded

Fitz turned on some lights on either side of the frame of the glasses he was wearing

"Let's begin, then" Simmons told them, chuckling nervously grabbing a syringe with anesthesia, obviously nervous as her hand shook, slowly lowering the syringe to the woman's eye

Both Fitz and Simmons looked squeamish at the sight, not wanting to be the ones doing that.

Hayley looked at Simmons and grabbed her wrist holding the syringe "Hey" she murmured softly. "Let me do this. You don't have to" she looked at Simmons

Simmons relaxed noticeably and nodded taking a step back handing Hayley the syringe and looking away.

Fitz looked away, humming slightly

Hayley looked at Amador reassuringly as she leaned forward pushing the needle into the corner of Amador's eye as the woman stared at the ceiling, seeming relaxed as Hayley was the one doing the job

"You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay..." Was all Hayley murmured while putting the anesthesia into Amador's eye

Simmons chuckled slightly, in relief but still nervous as she was the one who had to remove her eye

~8~

Hayley now is next to Simmons as she continued with surgery. It was her area and not Hayley's but her encouraging words seemed to help Simmons before and here she is, telling her she can do it

Hayley glanced at Fitz, who seemed to be studying the monitors but she looked away knowingly down to Amador. She knew the Scottish agent was squeamish and didn't want to look. She didn't blame him

If it weren't by something happening in the past, Hayley would be squeamish and wouldn't want to look. Fortunately or _unfortunately_ depending on how anyone saw it, she could and now she was grateful cause she could help others.

"Please tell me it's out already" Fitz called out to them without looking at them, squeezing his eyes shut as Simmons moved around Amador's eye, squishing sounds every time she moved around her eye

Both Simmons and Hayley looked down at Amador in interest as they continue with the surgery

"It's mostly out" Simmons said quietly, turning around to grab some tweezers

Hayley tilted her head aside at Simmons

Amador noticed the silence and swallowed "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Simmons answered quickly. Hayley gave her a look and watched as she reached for Amador's eye with tweezers. Her face paled slightly as she looked at the eyeball in Simmons hand. Fitz looked at them and froze, staring at the eye "But Dr. Fitzy needs to step in now. This is his area of expertise, not ours"

Fitz stared at the eyeball in horror on his face.

"Fitz" Hayley snapped looking up to him slightly

Fitz snapped out of his shock and walked to stand between Hayley and Simmons, taking the tweezers of Simmons' hands and looked at it, curiously

"All right, then. Most likely, both the power source and kill switch are located within the eye itself" Fitz told them "So, how to disconnect without triggering the kill switch?"

The three agents looked down at the eye, seeing that the tendons and veins connecting her eye to her head were thicker because all of the hardwire contained in the eye

Hayley made a face at it, seeming to be less affected with the sight

"Oh, I know what to do. Um..." Fitz cleared his throat, looking down at Amador, smiling uneasy "I just need to clarify one thing"

~8

Hayley stared at Fitz as he called Ward while working on the eye, she and Simmons watching the Engineer working on the eye

"Ward" Fitz greeted

" _What?"_ Simmons and Hayley heard Ward briefly

"You sound winded" Fitz commented casually, a hand holding the phone and the other working on the eye "Is this a bad time?"

" _Little bit"_

"Well, not so good for me, either considering I'm holding a still-attached prosthetic eye that could explode at any second" Fitz replied

Both Hayley and Simmons looked at him with ' _Are you serious?'_ expressions

" _Are the wires exposed or shielded?"_ Ward asked. Fitz opened his mouth to answer when suddenly Ward exclaimed " _Cut it now. Cut the wires now!"_

"What's happening?" Amador asked

Hayley looked at Fitz expectantly but also nervous

"Uh, nothing" Fitz replied "Ward just explained the sitch" He said cutting out the wires running from Amador's eye.

There's a zap of electricity and quickly, Fitz dropped the eye into a metal container

Simmons hurriedly put the lid on just in time to contain the explosion.

Fitz-Simmons and Hayley flinched at the sound.

Hayley frowned curiously as Simmons took off the lid of the container. Smoke rising from inside the container as they peered inside after blowing the smoke away

~8~

After finishing with Amador's surgery, Ward walked out of Amador's mission successful, finding a chalkboard with draw circles and lines like some kind of an equation or something alien. Coulson had gone and found Amador's handler but not before finding out he also had a killer switch on his eye just like her. And when he met with Coulson, the kill switch got activated, killing him instantly

Now, Amador was going to get her trail now she was back and under her own control.

Hayley walked past Coulson on the spiral stairs going to say goodbye to Amador.

She walked to Amador, walking past May

"Akela!" Hayley called out to her, seeing her walking toward a couple of S.H.I.E.L.D agents waiting for her standing nearby a car

Amador turned around facing Hayley. She had a bandage over her eye "Collins" she greeted sighing

Hayley frowned at her "Come on. You were thinking on leaving without saying goodbye?"

Amador smiled a small smile "No. I didn't want to say goodbye" she replied. Hayley tilted her head aside, knowingly "And I see you did manage to become a specialist" she chuckled

"In undercover" Hayley replied proudly "Thanks to you, I may add. You're the one who told me going undercover was less to act as an uptight robot"

Amador chuckled slightly, looking down "You did it. And you gave me my freedom" she told her quietly "Thank you so much"

Hayley waved a hand "It's the less I could do for my first friend" she told her softly

Amador turned serious, but still smiled slightly "Speaking of which. How is that memory thing going?"

Hayley's smile faded as she looked away "Zip. Nada" she murmured

Amador frowned "Not even childhood? Only after that..."

"Yes. Before that, nothing" Hayley interrupted with a sigh. "But it doesn't bother me anymore. It's been years now"

Amador looked at her unconvinced, nodding barely "Alright. If you say so..." she sighed and then looked away to the agents.

Hayley followed her gaze and smiled softly "Good luck" she told her knowing it was time and neither of them in reality liked to say goodbye

Amador nodded again, grateful for her second chance and her freedom, walking away, toward the agents waiting for her to take her away

Hayley stood in the ramp staring outside, shoving her hands to her jean pockets looking thoughtful


	20. Chapter 19

**_"Girl in the Flower Dress"_**

Hayley was in her bunker, in her bed siting on an Indian position staring at a water bottle in front of her intently

She was wearing jeans and a blue sleeveless top and her hair up in a messy bun.

Suddenly, the water bottle started shaking the longer Hayley stared at it until the alarm of the bus started blaring making her look up.

The water bottle stopping the shaking as she hurriedly walked away from her bunker toward the conference room, looking directly at the big monitor. It was flashing with a red S.H.I.E.L.D. spinning logo

~8~

The team gathered in the conference room, watching the monitor looking at a picture of a man with pyrokinetic powers and looking over his information

"Chan Ho Yin" Coulson began briefing the team "Just a struggling street performer until a few years ago, when Mr. Chan began to exhibit moderate pyrokinetic abilities"

"So what gave him powers?" Fitz asked

"It's still under investigation, but Chan did live near the decommissioned Wan Tai Nuclear Plant when it caught fire" Coulson answered. Hayley hadn't looked up from the files since the briefing started "To our knowledge, no other nearby residents have exhibited similar traits"

"So how did we find out about him?" Simmons asked

"Informants saw him lighting torches in a street show...with his pinkie" May answered

Ward nodded

"Bought it to S.H.I.E.L.D's attention. We told him to keep his abilities under wraps" Coulson told them. Hayley's hand formed a fist, without looking up "He's been on The Index ever since"

"The Index?" Skye repeated questionably

Hayley looked up, bitterly though she tried to hide it, only Coulson noticed "It's a list S.H.I..E.L.D. keeps of people and objects with powers"

"Wait!" Skye exclaimed "What? How many are there? Are you saying there are more people-"

May shook her head. "Not many"

"Well, enough to keep a list" Skye replied

"A short list, meant to protect them" Coulson told them, giving Hayley a meaningful look.

Hayley rolled her eyes with a silent scoff

"Though in rare cases S.H.I.E..L.D. has had to take action" Ward told Skye

"Action against objects or people?" Skye asked. They didn't answer, which was enough answer for Skye to realize they meant both. "Well that's drastic with a side of creepy. How are they monitored? Tapped phone lines, satellite surveillance, body probes in dark, unpleasant places?"

Coulson, May and Ward looked stoic but Simmons grimaced

"Body probes?" Fitz repeated shaking his head "Now, that's ridiculous. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't do that"

Hayley scoffed loudly, shaking her head and looking away bitterly

Fitz looked at Coulson, confused at Hayley's reaction "We don't do that, do we?"

Hayley looked back at Coulson expectant of his answer, looking sarcastic

Coulson looked at Hayley, but replied to Fitz seriously "The methods vary"

Hayley nodded sarcastically.

Skye looked at Coulson with an ' _Are you kidding me?'_ look

"Mr. Chan was low risk" Coulson explained "He was assigned a case agent who checked in with him every few days" May brought up a feed of a trashed apartment into the monitor, obviously Chan's apartment "That's how we discovered him missing"

Hayley looked at the monitor worriedly

May looked at the agent on video in the monitor, speaking in Cantonese. "Hello Agent Kwan, how are you?"

Agent Kwan spoke in Cantonese " _Not as good as I could be"_

May looked at the team "Everyone, this is Agent Kwan, Chan Ho Yin's case agent"

Fitz-Simmons and Skye waved at him

May turned to face Agent Kwan "What can you tell us?"

" _Not much, I'm afraid"_ Kwan answered " _Chan is a magician, so at first I thought he'd made himself disappear"_

"The file says you'd caught him violating his Index Agreement before." Coulson told him

" _On two separate occasions"_ Kwan agreed. " _Claimed we were 'hampering his artistic expression'. But last night, he was taken by professionals. The only thing they left behind was this scrap of aluminized material"_ he raised an evidence bag to the camera so the team could see

Simmons leaned in closer to the monitor looking at it. "Fireproof clothing"

"So, whoever took him knew about his power" Hayley told them frowning, pursing her lips

" _Yes, and we think we know why"_ Kwan told them " _Over the last few days tech division discovered a crack into our data stream. It's the same cyber punks who hacked us before"_ Hayley noticed over the corner of her eye Skye looking down " _Somehow, they got in again. It's the Rising Tide"_ Coulson, May, Fitz, Simmons, Hayley and Ward looked at Skye " _Hello? It got real quite. You guys still there?"_

~8~

In the conference Hayley, Ward, May, Fitz and Simmons watch Skye trace the hacker of the Rising Tide on a tablet above the monitor. Everyone had thought she did it and now she was proving she didn't by tracking down the responsible.

Hayley was watching very closely at Skye for any tell of her lying though her mind wasn't in it, she was still thinking about Mr. Chan

Coulson walked in "How close are we?"

"Almost there" Skye answered

"She's identified the remote access Trojan and the infected endpoint" Fitz told them

Simmons nodded "Yeah, and is searching for a TCP to correlate the hypertext with signature information and then..."

Fitz said "Bob's your uncle" at the same time Simmons said "Voila!"

Coulson looked at Ward. "You get any of that?"

"Only the uncle part" Ward answered

"We got our origin" Skye told them putting up a map on the table monitor "Austin, Texas"

"You got a name?" Coulson asked

"Just the café our hacker worked out of, but I'm in the system." Skye told them "I'm going to check to see if any credit card charges from that day match up with any known hackers. We got a hit"

Skye typed in her tablet, finding something and putting up the hacker's information on the screen

"Miles Lydon, not Skye" Fitz told them "that's to all our relief"

Hayley, who had been watching Skye closely noticed her reaction "You know him?" She asked calmly

"Every hacker in the world knows him" Skye answered

"Not just the hacker world" Simmons told them "He infiltrated the Kremlin"

"Yeah, the picture of, uh, Putin shirtless on horseback" Fitz said smiling "That was his hack" Simmons giggled

"It was also his hack that got Chan kidnapped" Hayley narrowed her eyes, straightening up, looking upset

May picked up a tablet, typing.

"May, set a course for Austin" Coulson told her

"Just did" May replied

"What about Chan?" Skye asked

"Kwan's got a S.H.I.E.L.D. team on the ground" Coulson told them "Our best bet is to chase this thing from the other end. Find Mr. Lydon, bring him in, see what he knows"

Hayley nodded and walked away before Coulson stopped her

~8~

The team was now in Austin, Texas

Hayley was walking around a sidewalk, listening to Skye and the others over her ear comm " _Just left the cafe where Miles logged in. Cashier said she hasn't seen him in over a week"_

Ward was near Skye, across the street of the cafe " _I may have eyes on him"_

Hayley was at the end of the street, looking around and noticing Miles a few feet away of Ward having spotted him

"He's gonna run, Ward" Hayley warned them. As soon as she said so, Miles started to run, but Ward had been ready for it and followed Miles, running.

" _Heading east on 5th street"_ Ward called out over his ear comm. Hayley looked around and started running the opposite direction, wanting to be in his way " _Target is now in a sliver Jetta"_ Hayley slowed down having turned around in a corner and squinted her eyes, noticing said car having just passed. She took a deep breath through her nose and stared forward intently, noticing a S.H.I.E.L.D SVU following him closely

 _"I got him"_ Coulson told them.

Hayley narrowed her eyes, starting walking forward as the red lights turned green on Miles way, forcing cars to start moving and blocking Miles from continuing driving. Her eyes looked directly at Miles' car, breathing deeply through her mouth and staring at it over the distance when suddenly someone crashed with her making her lose Miles from her sight and when she looked up, she noticed all the lights were still green and all the cars trying to go in at once, but she managed to lose Miles successfully.

There was almost an accident ahead with a big truck almost hitting a bus, forcing Coulson to stop his SVU from almost crashing. The bus and the big truck's tires scratching the concrete forcedly stopping the truck and the bus at the same time before they could hit each other

Coulson looked around past the cars, sighing " _I lost him"_ he looked at the vehicles stopping at the same time and looked around, worriedly and knowingly

Hayley sighed closing her eyes, feeling something wet from her nose, cleaning it up suddenly feeling very tired

"Follow Skye" Hayley told them over her ear comm, leaning against a wall "Something's up with her. I noticed as soon as Miles showed up as the hacker. I don't know if it's female intuition or my profiling skills but I feel Skye knows Miles more than she let on"

There was silence over the other end of the line until May spoke, deadly serious " _I got it"_

~8~

May had followed Skye because of Hayley's reading on her, knowing the profiler must have been right and fortunately she was right. May had found Skye hooking up with Miles and called Coulson to tell him and the team to meet them there

Fitz and Simmons were working at the computers on Miles home.

Coulson was looking through paperwork

Miles was siting on a chair on another room and Skye on the living room. Skye was looking at the team guiltily

May was standing nearby Miles, keeping an eye on both hackers

Hayley and Ward were looking through Miles' belongings. Hayley seemed tired

"I know how this looks" Skye broke the silence

Coulson held up a finger, silencing her still looking at some files

Skye looked down in shame

Coulson turned to face Skye "How long have you two been in contact?"

"I contacted him once, the day I joined to tell him I was okay and once earlier today" Skye told them

"When you tipped off an active suspect?" Coulson asked

"No, it's not like that" Skye shook her head "Miles and I... We met when we were both a little screwed up. Scratch that. He was a little screwed up, I was a lot. But we looked after one another. That's why I warned him, not because we're working together on this, but because we're...friends" Coulson didn't answer, looking at her with a blank expression "I'm really sorry"

Skye looked at them apologetically but Coulson continued with his black expression

"Noted" Coulson told her "If not you, then who is Mr. Lydon working with?"

"No one" Skye told them, scoffing "He's an idealist, believes in freedom of information"

Hayley paused and looked over her shoulder at Miles intently with narrowed eyes

"That information cost a man his freedom and you sabotaged our attempts to remedy that." Coulson told her

"No, I came here to find out what Miles knows about Chan." Skye told them

"And?" Coulson asked

Skye pursed her lips "Nothing. Miles is a dead end. He's harmless"

Hayley stared at Miles "We'll see" she murmured.

Coulson turned away

Skye looked at his back, speaking faster worriedly "Really, I was gonna find out everything I could to try to help. I just... I felt like I couldn't tell you guys everything"

"We know" Coulson told her, tense "That's why Collins told us to follow you and May did" Skye looked down "Seems that wasn't a dead end"

Coulson walked away

Skye looked at Hayley and Ward.

Ward didn't look at her, continuing leafing through the papers belonging to Miles.

Hayley was looking at Miles over Skye's shoulder, trying to profile him

Behind them, Fitz turned to face Simmons, whispering "Why would Skye do this to us for him? I thought she was our friend"

Simmons glanced at Skye, "I think she is, Fitz. But he's just obviously more than that"

"Yeah, but we've been through so much together and she didn't even tell us that she has a guy" Fitz told her

"Well, who knows what they've been through together" Simmons told her

Fitz looked away, turning back to work on the computer

Hayley had been listening to them, biting her bottom lip walking away toward May holding some of Miles' papers on her hands, ignoring Skye as she looked at Hayley hopefully. Hayley sighed mentally to herself ' _And here I trusted you. I should have known, people I start trusting always betray me'_

"The classified information you stole from us who did you give it to?" May was questioning Miles when she neared them

"It's information" Miles shrugged "It has a life of its own"

"What happened to Mr. Chan?" May asked

"I don't know who that is" Miles told them "So why don't you tell me"

Noise from the other side of the room made them look, watching Ward moving some of his stuff.

Miles scoffed softly "So, are you guys just going to destroy all my stuff?"

"Yes" Hayley replied simply, tilting her head aside

Coulson walked closer to May, Hayley and Miles "Anything?"

May shook her head.

"I don't have to talk to you" Miles told them

Coulson looked at May and Hayley "Take him in" May and Hayley exchanged a look, the latter handcuffing Miles and pulling him up from his seat leading him toward the door, May following behind. Coulson turned to Ward and Fitz-Simmons "Gather all the evidence and secure the prisoners. We got what we were looking for here. We're going to Hong Kong"

Hayley and May led Miles out, leaving

Coulson and Fitz-Simmons gathered the evidence following Hayley and May out, leaving.

Ward handcuffing Skye and leading her away

~8~

The team was now on the bus on their way to Hong Honk, Skye and Miles were placed on the same interrogation room, knowing if Miles didn't talk to any of the team, he would to Skye

They were on the lab going through Miles' stuff while hearing the conversation/argument between Skye and Miles.

Ward turned off the screen where they were watching the video feed. "Guy's hiding behind platitudes. He's dirty. I can feel it"

Hayley nodded in agreement

Simmons sighed "Scrubbed clean, actually" she told them "Nothing much on him. He's got no family records, his apartment is under an alias and he plays a lot of 'Minecraft' where he runs a rather nasty mob"

"Is it-is it zombie?" Fitz asked curiously

"Zombie pigmen" Simmons told him

Hayley frowned at them "Lets keep looking, shall we?"

Simmons and Fitz nodded in agreement

~8~

Fitz-Simmons and Hayley had found some information and now the team was gonna confront Miles about it.

Hayley walked inside the interrogation room, closing the door behind her.

Skye sat up straight but Hayley didn't even look at her.

Hayley walked closer to the table between them and looked at Miles, nodding at Skye "She's been defending you. Saying you're a stand up guy" she pulled up a file and placed it on the table "I know otherwise since I laid my eyes on you. But, I'm giving you a chance to come up clean yourself" she tapped the file a couple of times, smirking slightly at Miles "Or I have no problem on telling her myself"

Miles glanced at Skye, looking at Hayley defiantly "I don't have to listen to you"

Hayley smirked, knowing that would be his answer as she had the file already open, "There goes your chance" she smirked at him without humor. She grabbed some pieces of paper from the file, turning to Skye "Your boy toy here made a few deposits in the days following the leak" she laid out several checks on the table in front of Skye "All said...it's about a million dollars"

Skye looked up from the papers at Miles, suspiciously "What?"

"Real stand up guy" Hayley told her sarcastically

Miles looked at Skye, pleadingly "I can explain-"

Skye interrupted him "Did you sell information?" Miles didn't answer, looking down "Miles? Yes or no?" Miles stayed silent, still "Did you?!"

"Yes" Miles finally answered "but-"

Skye struggled angrily against her handcuffs "Oh! You are so dead! What the hell were you thinking?"

Hayley raised an eyebrow curiously

"It was a million dollars!" Miles told her. "A million dollars. It would change my life, our lives" Hayley rolled her eyes, looking at Skye's reaction. Skye was shaking her head incredulously "And that woman was harmless. I looked into it"

"No one with good intentions pays that kind of money for information" Skye pointed out "Did you ever think about that?"

"Of course I did. I never would have done it if I thought-"

"Who is the woman you referred to?" Hayley interrupted, frowning at him

"A fan of the Rising Tide, some rich girl in a flower dress" Miles answered "She knew all about me, said I had a gift. She thought people like us deserved more"

"Oh, you deserve more" Skye told him

"She pointed me to a Chinese S.H.I.E.L.D. feed" Miles told them "Wanted me to crack it"

"You thought that was harmless?" Hayley asked skeptically

"I checked the data stream," Miles told them, looking at Skye "It didn't seem like anything you and I hadn't already put out there, Skye. And I traced the account where the money came from to make sure it wasn't some evil corporation. It was just an Eco-Research lab. Otherwise, I would never-"

Hayley leaned closer, interested "Ecological research?"

Miles nodded, "Yeah, insects, some study with centipedes" Hayley reacted silently, looking at Skye who was already looking at her. They exchanged a knowing look "What's more harmless than that?"

Hayley didn't answer, straightening up and walking away without another word. They were getting closer


End file.
